Is the war on drugs a huge waste of taxpayers money if nothing productive is being accomplished?

Question

82% of americans want drugs to remain illegal
74% of americans believe the war on drugs is failing
marijuana use among 12th graders has increased by 62%
12th graders who used cocaine increased from 5.9% in 1994 to 9.8% in 1999
12th graders using MDMA rose from 5.6% in 1999 to 8.2% in 2000

in the early 1970's the french connection had picture interest in heroin and was selling it for $30 a bag, in those days it was only about 5% pure drug. that's like buying a box of donuts only to open the box and find half a donut. today heroin is available in every city of the US and cost $4 per bag and it's 80%-90% pure. now, using the donut analogy the same amount of money theoretically buys you about 30 full boxes of donuts. that's 600 times cheaper than before the war on drugs.

heroin is cheaper than a six-pack and easier for kids to get (drug dealers don't check ID)

over 700,000 people a year are arrested for drug charges,and that's just for marijuana, 75% is just for possession alone. he's not a violent criminal, but with madatory drug sentencing, it costs over $20,000 in taxpayers money to keep a harmless pothead in prison for a year.

over 700,000 people a year are arrested for drug charges,and that's just for marijuana, 75% is just for possession alone. he's not a violent criminal, but with mandatory drug sentencing, it costs over $20,000 in taxpayers money to keep a harmless pothead in prison for a year.

Answer 1

The war on drugs is ineffectual and unnecessary. It's a way to control the population. Why are drugs illegal? Because they're bad for you? Because they make you do bad things? Alcohol is bad for you and it makes you do bad things, but prohibition didn't work then and it certainly ain't working now. However, as you've pointed out the war on drugs is a big money maker. These laws are just more laws designed for our "own good" because in the eyes of the government, we're too stupid to make our own conscious decisions. I say legalize it all and tax it like tobacco and alcohol.

Answer 2

What an excellent point you make. I can only offer my own opinion, without any documented facts, Only what I believe through observation.
Who is earning the most money.
I have heard some rumors about a government connection.
a lot of money ends up in peoples pockets who don't care about war on anything.
If you send the weak harmless people to jail, you actually end up with another industry, the judicial system earns a lot of money, and the violent criminals get bullet fodder.
I believe we have enough power to stop a lot of illegal drugs entering this country, stop the drugs you slow a money monster that is feeding on itself.
I believe I have rambled a bit, but I also believe I am on the right track.
I will give you an example of what I heard, this is total conspiracy theory.
Al quida, (hope my spelling is not too far off), controlled all of the opium poppies in Afghanistan, our government double crossed them somehow, hence 911.
I have no proof, but why was Afghanistan the first country bombed the night of 911.
where are the poppies located? Afghanistan.
The attackers were from Saudi Arabia.
Is our government trying to destroy all of the poppies, or trying to control them.
I am a patriot, so the conspiracy theory does not appeal to me, but it stands looking at.

Answer 3

Yes. The entire event has been a large waste of time and money and is solely done as a PR measure so that our political heroes can talk about how they are tough on drugs and are protecting our youth.

The reality is that, as with alcohol and other formerly banned substances, use of drugs would probably decrease if they were legalized. There would be a brief spike in activity but this would decrease rapidly as the novelty wore off. There would also be a decrease in crime as the crimes associated with these drugs would become less prevalent. Stricter controls could be placed on the accessibility of the products (age limits, etc.) and open market influences (supply and demand) would control the costs and quality of the product.

The money being wasted on this so called war would be much better spent on real reform and real programs that benefit US citizens.

Answer 4

I think it's a huge waste of time & money. I think police should stop wasting their time on petty crimes such as possession charges and worry more about killers, rapists and other violent offenders. They are the ones making the world bad, most of them aren't on drugs, they are just f*n crazy. i have been arrested a couple times for posession of marijuana (under an ounce) both times it was only a joint. what's the harm there? i don't sell it to kids (or anyone for that matter) and i am not violent or crazy. i just eat a lot and stay at home watching movies. but 1 time i got 6 months probation with 100 hours community serviceplus $50 monthly probation fee, the other time i had to pay over $500! for a joint? come on! i really think it's unreal. i have yet to meet someone who died as a result of smoking marijuana. but yet i know many people who have been killed or killed someone because of alcohol. (and know several people who died from cigarettes) whats wrong with that picture? i dont know if i should be mad at the government or the people of the U.S....
So, ok harmless marijuana (which helps/cures glaucoma & cancer) is illegal while the real killers-cigarettes & alcohol is Legal...But, why???????

Answer 5

Good Grief! The war on drugs is a complete failure. However, it does employ a whole bunch of people. Law enforcement, court professionals, penal officials, contractors and vendors to build and supply the prisons, then probation and parole officials,etc. Where would all these people find work without the WAR on drugs. Your tax dollars at work, although not very productive!

Answer 6

Yes in away it is a waist of tax payers money, but if we stopped trying to get drugs off the streets and stopped trying to catch the dealers out there that will sell even to the young children, then sure we may not be spending tax payers money, but we will be giving up on everyone and everything important to us.
I personally do not think that law focuss' enough on our drug problems. I don't think law enforcers or police focus on any of the important problems we have in America. There is not just drugs that we have a problem with. There is also, murderers, rapists, abusers,and theives, but all you hear when law enforcers and police speak is " how much money you will pay/how much money you can win.

Answer 7

You are an idiot. You are more worried about getting yourself high than to realize the problems it causes for families and everyone else in this country. Have you seen the devastation drug use causes to people.

Your post began with some interesting points, but then it went downhill quick with your "donuts" comment. How can educated people take you seriously when you make pointless jabs at the expense of what? Being funny?

Try living in the real world.

Answer 8

Graft in various places is a factor. But since there is so much agreement that legalization would eliminate the crime associated with the illegal drug trade it is puzzling that enough pressure isn't put on our legislators to do something about it.
Prohibition brought-in that lovely era that gave us racketeers like Al Capone. Our phony drug war is another 'Prohibition'. We must, it seems, like it.

Answer 9

Somebody is making a ton of money...find out where the money is going and you will find out why the USA criminalizes a health issue. We used to lock up mentally retarded individuals as well...I guess we are not as far along as we would like to think.

Answer 10

Could you site your source?


What would your solution be? All you stated was how easy it is to get drugs, and donuts. :)


Holly, he talked alot about people in 12th grade. Some may be able to smoke, in highschool, but alot of drugs are being done by kids, aswell as adults. If drugs are made legal, I would be that those statistics, where ever they came from, would go up.