The War on Drugs Essay - 3279 Words

The War on Drugs To fully understand the significance and the seriousness of a War one must first fully understand the reasons that caused it in the first place. In this specific case the solution begins with several important yet seemingly simple questions†¦What is marijuana? How is it used? And why is it so coveted and widely distributed in Jamaica as well as the rest of the world?†¦ All these questions help clarify the reasoning behind the war on drugs and further investigation shows how Jamaica ends up being an important country in this puzzle as well. Lets begin with the first question, (What is marijuana), of course the dictionary definition is simply put,-a preparation of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa, for use as an†¦show more content†¦Moreover, the longer a substance has been illegal and the harder it is to obtain the substance the more profitable it becomes. Therefore, marijuana (because it fits into this category) can be a very profitable in its import and export for a country even if it is outlawed as illegal. One country that has struggled endlessly with this drug, its illegal usage, and decriminalization is Jamaica. Using Jamaica as a model for the more in-depth study of â€Å"the war against drugs† proves to be most interesting in that Jamaica has had a long and economically fluctuating history with marijuana. Henceforth, to lead us into the study of Jamaica and its legalization and decimalization of marijuana that can be used on both a large and small scale we turn to a reliable inside source of Jamaican journalist. Where they discover that the strong marijuana presence in Jamaica has been an issue which has sparked some controversy and questioning, regarding the decriminalization of marijuana amongst not only Jamaicans but people all over the world. Many people have asked the question, how can marijuana be so abundant and openly used in a country and yet not be legal or at least decriminalized? Jamaican journalists, through research, surveys, and most importantly experiences with the culture itself, address in a special and unique way the issue of marijuana and how it has been related differently to the varyingShow MoreRelatedThe Drug War On Drugs1378 Words   |  6 Pagesnon-violent drug charges. These people’s lives are now forever changed because of a mistake they made. This mistake is continually made every single day and Americans are being punished in extreme ways for a non violent crime. The United States needs to decimalize all drugs because the drug war is costly, causes high incarceration rates, and isn’t effective as European drug solutions. In the 20th century, the United States government led a major renewed surge in drug prohibition called the War on DrugsRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesThe war on drugs have been a critical issue that has repeatedly held a great debate topic. It was in the 1906 when the first act against drug was put into effect with the Pure Food and Drug Act which required all over-the-counter medication to have label of its ingredients. Under President Nixon the first executive branch office to coordinate drug policy was formed and the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act was put into place. Two years following that the Drug Enforcement AgencyRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe War on Drugs Despite an estimated $1 trillion spent by the United States on the â€Å"War on Drugs†, statistics from the US Department of Justice (2010) has confirmed that the usage of drugs has not changed over the past 10 years. 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Read MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs2027 Words   |  9 Pagesincreased federal spending in an attempt to curb the number of drug users and the sale and importation of illicit narcotics the war on drugs began in earnest. The war on drugs has also played a major role in politics as well as having a significant impact on the economy. While there are many arguments in favor for the war on drugs and an equal number of arguments against it I will attempt to show an unbiased look at the war on drugs and drug prohibition and how it has affected society as a whole. SinceRead MoreWar On Drugs And Drugs1952 Words   |  8 PagesWar on Drugs The war on drugs has come a long way without any remarkable success. America has been dealing with the drug menace for many years to a point that four of its presidents have declared the war on drugs part of their main agenda. Sadly, it has been a lost war in various perspectives. Drug abuse continues to be a daily topic with drug abusers flooding not only the American society but also many countries’ hospitals, prisons and courts. The drug trade has continued to cause violent crimesRead MoreThe Drug War On Drugs Essay2030 Words   |  9 Pagesthe â€Å"War on Drugs† sought to control the sale and use of psychoactive drugs as well as promote access to treatment for those who abuse and misuse these substances (Bagley, 1988; Elkins, 1990). Policies implemented prohibited the possession and distribution of narcotics (e.g. marijuana, cocaine, heroin); the punitive policies, which often resulted in hefty fines and prison sentences for violators, ultimately prompted the emer gence of a black market, more potent and lethal drugs, synthetic drugs as well