War on Drugs

War on Drugs
One trillion dollars has been spent in over forty years on the War on Drugs. During the 19 century, drug prohibition started to protect the public’s health.   Since the war on drugs started, crime rates have increased.   It has also created an illegal market, where the only way to solve a problem is violence. Therefore, it wastes millions of dollars in an attempt to keep drugs off the streets. By legalizing all drugs the government could lower organized violence and crime, save millions of dollars, and with the money saved the government could invest in programs to help those who are addicted to drugs get drug free. Lastly, more children are getting into the drug trade for profit.
    H. L. Mencken wrote, “For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong.” (Kleiman 1) Prohibition on drugs causes more harm than good. Is this what we want?   But there are others who say that legalizing drugs would be even worse.   In the 1920’s the USA ban the manufacture, distribution and sales of alcohol and alcohol beverage. This was an attempt to lower the crime rate and the consumption of alcohol. However, some say that the illegalization of alcohol opened up

a new illegal market for organize crime and fueled violent gangsters in the 1920s such as al Capone.  (Schaar)  
Today's drug prohibition has brought on a culture of drive-by shootings and other gun-related crimes, because that’s the only way to solve a problem in the illegal market.   Last week, President Obama’s Latin American government discussed the need to change current drug policy.   They are angry about the terrible levels of trafficking-related violence in Mexico and Central America.   No big deal.   They also discussed the monetary, personal and social costs of putting half a million drug dealers in the US in prison has led to a need for some sort of legalization.   This shows that the war on drugs really hasn’t made anything better.   There is still so much violence,...