America s War On Drugs - 1306 Words

Beginning in the nineteenth century, spanning to the present day, US history has witnessed a plethora of changes both socially as well as racially. These racial and social changes were the results of moral panics centered around marijuana as well as eugenics. One of the primary focuses of America s War on Drugs has always been the controversial drug Marijuana. In the early twentieth century, Henry Anslinger became the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics where he remained between 1930-62. Anslinger’s campaign was driven primarily by racism. He convinced the public to believe Blacks were negative influences in society and negatively associated African Americans with the drug. Anslinger made heavily racist remarks such as, â€Å"white girls would be ruined once they d experienced the lurid pleasures of having a black man s joint in their mouth.† (Wishnia 2008) As a result, Henry Anslinger was successful in persuading society into believing marijuanaâ€⠄¢s â€Å"harmful effects.† Many Americans feared the drug would cause young white women to pursue sexual relations with â€Å"Negroes,† and musicians of the era. Campaigns such as this one continued through the twentieth century and they were prompted not only by affluent political figures, but by the federal government as well. In 1974, Dr. Robert G. Heath reported a connection between marijuana use and its detriments to one’s health. He claimed that marijuana usage causes brain damage in humans. Dr. Heath had conductedShow MoreRelatedAmerica s War On Drugs Essay1299 Words   |  6 Pagesserved time in prison for his connection in the Watergate scandal, the Drug War was â€Å"intended to disempower the anti-war and black rights movements in the 1970s.† It’s no secret that drug use in the United States has been a problem. Many Americans have struggled with addiction to some of the worse drugs. Many lives have been affected in some of the most te rrible ways. It can be easily said that due to America’s history with drugs that former president Richard Nixon noticed the problem and felt thereRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs2030 Words   |  9 PagesThe â€Å"War on Drugs† has been a hot topic for several decades in the United States. The argument for the success of this campaign usually varies depending on one’s political affiliation. The government handled the ongoing campaign differently with each new administration taking command, most of them having no little success. The fact of the matter is that the ideal of a â€Å"drug free civilization† is far from reality. The world is coming to terms that the various drug-fighting programs across the worldRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs2885 Words   |  12 PagesRunning head: AMERICA’S WAR ON DRUGS 1 America’s War on Drugs: A Battle against Drugs or a display of Racial Intolerance? Sharon Curry-Robinson, Duval County Court Bailiff Florida Gulf Coast University â€Æ' America’s War on Drugs 3 Abstract It was surprising to learn that, while the United States makes up just five percent of the world population, over twenty-five percent of the world’s detainees are from the United States. Yes, at a projected figure of moreRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs3748 Words   |  15 PagesThe term â€Å"War on drugs† was first announced when President Richard Nixon created a volume of programs intended to suppress the consumption of certain recreational drugs in 1972. It marked the beginning for the era of mandatory minimum sentencing, privatized prisons, racism, and constituency that profits as a result of the illegal drugs. The â€Å"Just Say No† and the D.A.R.E. campaign were created to help youths from starting to use drugs but they were not effective. Treatment programs have directed theirRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs2355 Words   |  10 PagesOne of the primary focuses of America s War on Drugs is the controversial drug Marijuana. Marijuana remains the most widely used illegal drug and stirs up constant debate everywhere. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime from the World Drug Report 2004 an estimation of about 4 percent of the world’s adult population (162 million) consume marijuana annually (156). For thousands of years human beings have attempted to find ways to get passed the struggles of everyday life. WithRead MoreThe War On Drugs And America s Drug Problem1878 Words   |  8 PagesSpitz D Block 5/19/2016 The War on Drugs Based on the success and failures of the drug policies of the past, what is the best strategy for the United States to implement to help America’s drug problem? Throughout time, United States drug policy has shifted dramatically. From all drugs being legal to Prohibition and the War on Drugs, the US has had conflicting ideas about what is best for society and American citizens when it comes to drugs. The current War on Drugs has resulted in countless arrestsRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs1539 Words   |  7 Pages On June 17th, 1971, President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse to be â€Å"America’s Public Enemy #1† in a press conference in which he called for an â€Å"all out offensive† against this enemy, an initiative that would later be known as America’s War on Drugs. By giving this speech, thus starting â€Å"The War on Drugs,† President Nixon created what would eventually become one of the most catastrophic failures in United States political history. Analysis of the historical events surrounding Nixon’s declarationRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs1754 Words   |  8 Pagesplan was afoot for them: the war on drugs. The war on drugs is unequivocally the biggest and most durable war this country has ever fought against its own citizens. Like any other wars the United-States has engaged in, the war on drugs is remarkably different; it was fought internally, and intended to target a specific group, people of color. Their communities, houses and churches were flooded with law enforcements, constantly checking for illegal possession of drugs. They were branded criminalsRead More Bad Neighbor Policy: Washington?s futile war on drugs in Latin America?3153 Words   |  13 PagesBook review: â€Å"Bad Neighbor Policy: Washington’s futile war on drugs in Latin America† Edited by Ted Galen Carpenter Overview Introductionnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;3 Read MoreThe Impacts of the War on Drugs1075 Words   |  4 Pages The War On Drugs has lasted many years, including before it was officially called â€Å"War On Drugs.† The prohibition of drugs first got its start in the late 1800’s with anti-opium laws, focusing on chinese immigrants. This was common with the first anti-drug laws. It entirely about scientific based facts on what the effects or risks of the drugs, rather who was associated with the use of the specific drugs. For example, the anti-cocaine laws in the early 1900’s were directed at black men, and the