Liberalization and Failure of the War on Drugs

Introduction

Description of the Problem

It is important to note substance abuse is a major social and healthcare problem, which incurs a massive cost to the entire society through loss of lives, productivity, and communal well-being. In order to properly comprehend the given analysis, one should know that drug overdoses are treatable and can be prevented even in the context of widespread addiction. Drug addiction can be ‘infective’ by spreading and plaguing communities causing distress and disorder, for which a drug is offered as a solution. Thus, substance abuse and overdose are diseases due to the psychological effect of drugs, with individuals in pro-drug social environments being highly vulnerable. Drug addicts need to be given resources and opportunities to be able to combat the disease. The assessment will cover the topic of substance abuse and overdose with its causes and policies.

The Effects of the Problem

The topic is highly critical to understand and be knowledgeable about because it is an epidemic affecting thousands of American lives and incurring massive economic and societal losses. Economic costs are significant because not only illegal drug activities are not taxed and revenues are not declared, but the productivity of drug addicts is a loss for the labor market as well. In addition, since drug addiction is essentially a public health issue, such expenses additionally exacerbate the economic burden on the economy since many drug addicts fall within the income range of social programs. Therefore, the entirety of the economy is affected by drug addiction and overdose problems in the United States. It indicates there is a catastrophic loss of potential for further prosperity and growth for the top economy of the globe. The public health nature of the issue has an effect separate from healthcare costs as well because it diminishes the general well-being of the citizens. The cumulative effects of the problem make the issue of drugs a heavy burden for the nation on all of its fronts.

Topic of Investigation

The topic of investigation is centered around drug liberalization policies and controversial addiction treatment centers as effective solutions. The given analysis seeks to investigate how retributive and restrictive frameworks on the supply of drugs failed during and after the War on Drugs and why the proposed policies are better. It should be noted that previous measures were always focused on preventing, minimizing, or halting the supply of drugs with the hopes that it would reduce demand. The failure of such approaches was manifested in more illegal drug trafficking, smuggling, and entry to the nation, which not only undermines national security but poses a public health risk to drug users. Addictive substances are harmful on their own, but when there are no laws to supervise their quality and contents, illegal drug cartels are able to mix and sell cheaper, more toxic, and more potent alternatives. These activities can be done without informing the drug abusers, where a buyer thinks he or she is purchasing heroin, but it turns out to be a mix of cheaper compounds.

The War on Drugs

The War on Drugs had only one purpose, which was to defeat drug abuse as a public enemy. Considering its primary objective, one can confidently state that the war was an utter failure on all of its fronts. The policy resulted in mass arrests and incarcerations, human rights violations, sentencing disparities, expansion of illegal drug markets, foreign interventions, geopolitical tensions, and loss of lives (Coyne & Hall, 2017). These shortcomings of the War on Drugs were useless since the main goal was not achieved despite such sacrifices.

Roadmap and Structure

The rest of the paper will analyze the problem itself in detail, and then it will assess policies and research, followed by a summary and recommendations. Firstly, the context of drug addiction will be illuminated by looking into recent statistics, the role of social environments and drug psychology and biochemistry to understand why it should be treated as a disease. Secondly, the policies of the War on Drugs will be analyzed for their failures, and liberalization policies will be offered as an alternative on the basis of evidence.

Thesis Statement: The prohibition framework used in the War on Drugs was a failure, which provided a valuable lesson on effective policies to combat the opioid epidemic based on liberalization and strict market control.

Scope of the Problem

The drug liberalization policy can be defined as a measure to acknowledge the demand for drugs is unalterable without taking control of the supply through tight market regulations and proactive assistance. The population of interest is drug abusers, drug addicts, and people at risk for drug overdoses. The situation with drug abuse and overdose is worsening every year. From 2020 until April 2021, almost 100,000 people died from overdoses, which is a 30% increase compared to the previous period (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). The vast majority of these deaths, or 75% of them, are caused by synthetic drugs, mainly fentanyl (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Therefore, there is a solid trend of increase in overdose cases as well as substance abuse in general, and today, the issue is becoming even worse than before.

Define

One of the most conflicting ideas when it comes to drug addiction and overdose is the notion that it is a choice all along. It is true that the initial use of a drug could be a deliberate choice made by a person, but the subsequent uses are not. The main reason is rooted in how drugs, especially the most addictive ones, operate in the brain. The human brain is comprised of neurons, which communicate with each other by transmitting neurochemical signals. These signals are passed from one neuron to another through neurotransmitters, which are released to a synaptic space and interact with the receptors in the signal-receiving neuron. Various drugs’ molecular structures mimic the natural neurotransmitters and hack the receptors causing an irregular response, which can be more highly intense or prolonged than normal (Changeux, 1998). The most addictive drugs mimic the pleasure neurotransmitters and attach to their corresponding receptors providing a person with intense pleasure. Therefore, drugs can be considered tools for hacking the human brain.

However, the addiction itself, with its eventual overdose, is the result of neuron adaptability to an intense signal from a drug. With frequent and intensive exposure to a substance, neurons reduce their receptor numbers to the drug or neurotransmitter, which results in reduced pleasure for drug users (Changeux, 1998). This prompts them to use higher drug doses to receive a similar level of ‘high’ as they experienced when they only started. Thus, a continuous cycle of dose increase, the chase of pleasure, and a decrease in receptors lead to overdose (Changeux, 1998). Considering the fact that social environment and early exposure make a person more likely to start using drugs, and the subsequent uses are hardwired by brain physiology, substance abuse is a disease, not a choice. The direct triggers are physical pain and the introduction of pain medication/heroin/fentanyl/alcohol to relieve it (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). The communities affected are usually the ones, which are racially, economically, and socially disadvantaged (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Therefore, substance abuse and overdose manifest their harm in many aspects of communal life.

History/Background

The history of liberalization stems from the failures of the War on Drugs, which was based on cutting the supply of drugs in the US with an assumption that the demand would decrease as a result. The opposite took place, where both the supply and demand increased through illegal channels of distribution leading to national security, border security, public health, and overdose ramifications. The War on Drugs was initially created by Richard Nixon in 1971 when he declared drug abuse as “public enemy number one” (Gonzalez & McGee, 2018, p. 206). It was developed as a response to the growing heroin epidemic among Americans, especially the US Vietnam veterans (Gonzalez & McGee, 2018). The Nixon administration implemented new policies in the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, which focused on punitive measures, such as sentencing and interventions (Gonzalez & McGee, 2018). The subsequent presidents mostly expanded the policy with greater involvement of intelligence and the military.

When it comes to drug addiction and overdoses, the youth are the most vulnerable ones due, which is determined by their circles, attitudes, and proximity to milder drugs. Major thoughts and opinions on this topic include the fact that substance abuse is not a choice for the most part but rather a disease, which means the addicts require external help. A study found that a young individual’s attitude towards drugs is correlated with his or her personal drug use, drug use among friends, risk perception, and pleasure orientation (Järvinen & Østergaard, 2011). In other words, people with pro-drug positions tend to underestimate the risks and be highly pleasure-oriented (Järvinen & Østergaard, 2011). In addition, parenting can also be a major determining factor in whether or not a person will become an addict (Coombs & Landsverk, 1998). However, individuals without drug-using friends and families and who do not use drugs themselves are more likely to be anti-drugs. Therefore, one can see how a person’s social environment and exposure can influence the likelihood of becoming addicted.

Pre-Existing Policies

The drug liberalization policy is based on legitimizing drug demand in the US and controlling it tightly as a market. It will naturally eliminate any illegal drug activity, which will provide the government with the ability and capability to regulate both the demand and supply sides of drug problems. The principle of harm reduction is a centerpiece of drug liberalization policy, which redefines what drug abuse is and focuses on assisting addicts as patients rather than criminals (Bardwell et al., 2021). Demand reduction efforts need the integration of several policies, which are aimed at fully managing the treatment of drug addicts, detailed in the following section below.

The policies of the United States over the last decades have been heavily focused on the supply reduction of illegal drugs. A much smaller percentage of effort has been focused on the reduction of the demand for illegal drugs. To support President Calderon in his fight with the drug cartels, the United States government must continue to adjust the annual National Drug Control Strategy to reduce the demand for illegal drugs (Mackey, 2011). It is critical to review current U.S. drug policy and the issues associated with demand reduction. The key recommendations should be focused on how the United States government can better adjust supply and demand reduction programs to make current efforts more effective.

The topic of drug abuse and overdose is a well-known one. Many individuals, especially young people, die daily due to overdoses. In addition to the losses of their lives, the damage can also be found in the lack of economic input and loss of productivity due to drugs. The major culprit of the epidemic are opioids, such as heroin and fentanyl, with the latter being more potent and highly dangerous even at the smallest of doses (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). This obstacle comes to what it is today due to the prescription of painkillers based on opioids, which cause addiction. Abuse of illegal substances is a critical problem on a massive scale, which is manifested in its dangerous impact on society at large. For example, an opioid epidemic not only causes loss of life in terms of overdoses but incurs a significant economic impact due to reduced productivity, homelessness, and unemployment. In the last 15 years, 165000 people lost their lives to overdoses, and the big reason is fentanyl and other synthetic drugs, which tend to be highly toxic and potent (Gellad et al., 2017). However, illegal drug abuse is not limited to opioids since there is a wide range of substances prohibited by the law.

Implementation

Demand reduction efforts require the implementation of several policies, which are aimed at fully managing the treatment of drug addicts. Firstly, drug liberalization entails that all drugs are to be legalized, which needs to be distinguished from decriminalization. The latter merely removes the criminal ramifications of drug use and possession, but it does not address the black market of drug selling and promotion. Decriminalization is ineffective because black market drug sellers do not adhere to quality standards, and they actively lure youngsters into drug traps (Bardwell et al., 2021). Therefore, all drugs should become legal, which will essentially destroy black markets, paving the way for the legal selling of drugs similar to alcohol and nicotine products.

Secondly, each drug category needs to be regulated in a targeted manner since each drug is unique in its effects and health risks. In the case of depressants, such as heroin, it is important to focus on drug assistance centers, which provide pure and high-quality heroin for addicts in order to ensure that there is no overdose death. They additionally provide access to professionals who can help drug addicts to quit drugs. These centers are tightly supervised and staffed with medical professionals who ensure that drug injections are safe from diseases, infections, and violence (Bardwell et al., 2021). For the stimulant drugs, such as cocaine, it is critical to allocate specific sites where its consumption is supervised both by doctors and law enforcement officers. Since stimulants can cause harmful behaviors, the presence of police can ensure that no harm is done within these sites. In both cases, the drug epidemic is removed from the streets and public, which reduces crime, homelessness, and exposure to drugs altogether.

Thirdly, it is vital to acknowledge that drugs are not the main problem but rather an addiction. The latter needs to be combatted as a psychological dependency and disorder rather than a crime. Information, data, and education can greatly boost the reduction of new drug abusers as well as help existing ones at quitting the cycle (Bardwell et al., 2021). The national efforts to address the illegal drug problem have been met with mixed reviews, and by the government’s admission, demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade and has helped to create the current environment in Mexico.

When it comes to criminal justice and criminology, there are different perspectives on the plausible preventative measures, where one side might argue for criminalization and the other advocate for liberalization. In addition, such a discussion has two aspects, which involve preventing illegal drug use among non-users and dealing with addicts. Global research conducted across 20 nations (n = 36506) indicates that many current illegal drug users are more likely to seek help if the corresponding country adopts policies with more liberalized policies (Benfer et al., 2018). The latter includes milder punishments, such as fines instead of jail time, government outlets with legally available drugs, and legalization (Benfer et al., 2018). The primary reason for reluctance among drug addicts to seek help in countries with stricter policies is fear of criminal sanction (Benfer et al., 2018). In other words, it is essential that national drug policies are reevaluated to find a balance between prevention and assistance for illegal drug users. Liberalization of such criminological frameworks might prove useful to prevent unnecessary incarcerations and elevating addicts from their addictions.

Study #1

A study conducted to identify the common causal factors behind illegal drug use reveals that there are correlational characteristics. Most individuals (n = 818) are likely to be from low socioeconomic backgrounds, have mental health issues, and are poly-drug users (Metz et al., 2018). Thus, the lack of education, employment, and financial stability can increase the likelihood of drug abuse or illegal substances. Since drug addicts are likely to be poorly educated, poor, and unemployed, they affect communities where new drug users can emerge, leading to the spillover effect of the drug epidemic. When it comes to mental health problems, it is evident that the latter goes in parallel with criminological activity. The majority of drug addicts tend to consume more than one particular drug. For example, an opioid user will likely use another illegal substance as well. However, one should note that correlation does not imply causation because it is possible that illegal drug use itself results in a decrease in socioeconomic status and mental health development.

Study #2

Global research conducted across 20 nations (n = 36506) indicates that many current illegal drug users are more likely to seek help if the corresponding country adopts policies with more liberalized policies (Benfer et al., 2018). The latter includes milder punishments, such as fines instead of jail time, government outlets with legally available drugs, and legalization (Benfer et al., 2018). The primary reason for reluctance among drug addicts to seek help in countries with stricter policies is fear of criminal sanction (Benfer et al., 2018). In other words, it is essential that national drug policies are reevaluated to find a balance between prevention and assistance for illegal drug users. Liberalization of such criminological frameworks might prove useful to prevent unnecessary incarcerations and elevating addicts from their addictions.

Study #3

The policies of the United States over the last decades have been heavily focused on the supply reduction of illegal drugs. A much smaller percentage of effort has been focused on the reduction of the demand for illegal drugs. To support President Calderon in his fight with the drug cartels, the United States government must continue to adjust the annual National Drug Control Strategy to reduce the demand for illegal drugs (Mackey, 2011). It is critical to review current U.S. drug policy and the issues associated with demand reduction. The key recommendations should be focused on how the United States government can better adjust supply and demand reduction programs to make current efforts more effective.

Conclusion

Recommendations

The main recommendation is to engage in a nationwide policy change from the failed legacy of the War on Drugs to the liberalization of drugs and tight market control. Firstly, drug liberalization entails that all drugs are to be legalized, which needs to be distinguished from ineffective decriminalization, which merely removes the criminal penalty. Secondly, each drug category needs to be regulated in a targeted manner, where stimulants are consumed at specific sites with police and medical supervision, and depressants are provided at assistance centers. Thirdly, information, data, and education need to be provided through labels and warnings similar to cigarettes. Failing to implement these measures risks economic, social, public health, and national security losses for the US. The epidemic affects thousands of American lives and incurs massive societal costs.

Policy Implications

In conclusion, illegal drug use should be liberalized through effective and evidence-based policies. Illegal drug use should find a balance between prevention through criminalization and assistance to the existing addicts through some form of liberalization. Thus, it is critical to address these issues by focusing on underlying causes with the use of effective policies and criminalization reforms. Drug addiction is the main problem, which is a psychological disorder, and attacking drugs means ignoring the core issue.

References

Bardwell, G., Austin, T., Maher, L., & Boyd, J. (2021). Hoots and harm reduction: A qualitative study identifying gaps in overdose prevention among women who smoke drugs. Harm Reduction Journal, 18(29), 1-15.

Benfer, I., Zahnow, R., Barratt, M. J., Maier, L., Winstock, A., & Ferris, J. (2018). The impact of drug policy liberalization on willingness to seek help for problem drug use: A comparison of 20 countries. International Journal of Drug Policy, 56, 162–175.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Illicit drug use [PDF document].

Changeux, J. P. (1998). Drug use and abuse. Daedalus, 127(2), 145-165.

Coombs, R. H., & Landsverk, J. (1998). Parenting styles and substance use during childhood and adolescence. Journal of Marriage and Family, 50(2), 473-482. doi.org/10.2307/352012

Coyne, C. J., & Hall, A. R. (2017). Four decades and counting: The continued failure of the War on Drugs. SSRN: Cato Institute Policy Analysis, 811, 1-28.

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Gonzalez, J. J., & McGee, M. P. (2018). Legal marijuana: Perspectives on public benefits, risks and policy approaches. McFarland & Company.

Järvinen, M., & Østergaard, J. (2011). Dangers and pleasures: Drug attitudes and experiences among young people. Acta Sociologica, 54(4), 333-350.

Mackey, T. H. (2011). Demand reduction: Reducing the demand for illegal drugs in the United States. Defense Technical Information Center, 1, 1-26.

Metz, V. E., Brown, Q. L., Martins, S. S., & Palamar, J. J. (2018). Characteristics of drug use among pregnant women in the United States: Opioid and non-opioid illegal drug use. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 183, 261-266.