increase of drug convictions. Decades of tough-on-crime laws coupled with minimal financing for treatment programs have left prisons overcrowded and under funded. With the advent of crack cocaine and the response of a scared nation President Ronald Reagan declared a war on drugs in 1982 (Clear, Cole, & Reisig, 2009). In 1987 congress implemented mandatory minimum sentencing effectively increasing the time served for drug offenses. The war on drugs has succeeded in increasing the amount of drug offenders
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an ounce, according to the national survey by Pew Research Center. Washington and Colorado have already legalized marijuana up to an ounce for recreational use. (“If you”) Fifty-two percent of America is a lot of support for a supposedly dangerous drug. Many doctors, health professionals, and American citizens in general wonder why marijuana is illegal. “According to Marijuana Facts and Stats, at least 100 million Americans have tried marijuana at least once in their lives.”(“If you”) 100 million
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Legalization of Marijuana Tina Washington Everest University March 3, 2015 Abstract The prohibition of marijuana has brought forth multiple passionate debates for many years in reference to its effects on the human body, its medicinal properties, and its effect on society. Even though there are many people who are opposed to the legalization of marijuana, this paper will dispute that the legalization of marijuana is justified. This paper will provide proof by measuring marijuana’s
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controversial as the decriminalization of the use of recreational drugs there must be validity to the argument that you are presenting. The most important point would be what the impact on society would be. There would be without a doubt both a positive as well as a negative result. The most important thing about the outcome would be whether or not the positive result would outweigh the negative. This is where many citizens reach an impasse when arguing the topic. The use of different drugs for recreational
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The War on Drugs was intended to reduce the use of criminal drugs. The United States government, with the assistance of other countries, have been wanting to reduce the use and trade of illegal drugs. This initiative includes strict laws and policies, such as prison time, this is meant to discourage the production, distribution and consumption of these targeted substances. In the following essay, it is important to make the distinction between street and prescribed drugs, their effects, and the punishment
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year from alcohol poisoning. Similarly, more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking. By comparison, marijuana is nontoxic and cannot cause death by overdose.” (5) • “Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America (behind only alcohol and tobacco), and has been used by nearly 100 million Americans. According to government surveys, some 25 million Americans have smoked marijuana in the past year, and more than 14 million do so regularly despite harsh
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constantly at odds with current affairs. The U.S. Constitution shapes the U.S. Criminal Justice System with rights and due process for all citizens. The US Criminal Justice System is currently faced with challenges of prison overcrowding, mental health, drug offenses, inequity and gun violence. American society keeps asking for changes to be made to each part of the system. Changes and the
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the War on Drugs; during their time in office they established or enhanced policies and laws that affected the incarceration rates and drug awareness in our country. During the Nixon administration, the Controlled Substance Act was enacted and made effective May 1st, 1971. The Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention also was established in 1971. The Drug Enforcement Administration was created by Nixon in 1973. Since Nixon publicly declared the War on Drugs, stating that drugs were the public's
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Global Politics: The feasibility of universal drug liberalization as an emerging phenomenon RWaterhouse Globalization & The War on Drugs: Assessing alternatives to criminalization The purpose of this paper is to address universal drug liberalization as a feasible alternative to the current drug control regime specifically in North America and potentially applicable elsewhere. With an in depth analysis of the historical regulation, implementation of law, and resulting consequences
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Marijuana is America’s number one cash crop surpassing corn and other items. Its decriminalization would open new tax revenues and slash old tax budgets as funds are re appropriated to satisfy a hungry criminal justice system. There have been many non-violent convictions in the justice system that costs the country potentially hundreds of billions of dollars every year and have since the start of the war on drugs during the Reagan era. These convictions could be avoided if the government let each
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