Informative Essay: The War On Drugs

Have you ever had a family member or a friend that struggled with drug addiction? Have you ever seen a total stranger and knew instantly that they were an addict? There are people who think that addicts always deserve pity, even though they often inspire contempt (659). It would depend on how you look at the addict. First, you must see the addict through the eyes of the cop that deal with addict’s every day. Then, look at the addict from the eyes of the soulless dealer that supplies the drug. Finally, look at life from the addict’s point of view that has been tarnished by the effects of drugs. The war on drugs has been an ongoing problem in our country. Everywhere you look, and everywhere you go, there are people that have succumbed to their desire for a certain drug. Some people may have the obvious look of a drug addict and some may be able to keep it hid.

Often, the narcotics cop sees the war on drugs as a game to be played between the junkies and the crackheads as if it’s another Super Bowl game (654). The cop will see teenagers on the street corner as just another dealer, not taking into account that he is someone’s son (655). Because of the type of job, the cop has to separate himself from the situation which often times will cause him to have a feeling of disdain for the junkie or crackhead. Cops tend to think that the addict is someone that needs to be behind bars or is a criminal. The cop is trained to know what to look for in an addict. Most junkies and crackheads look as if they are a victim of starvation and aged twenty years older with their skin looking as if it were two sizes too small (658, 659). Cops observe that addicts tend to move quicker as if he doesn’t want to waste any more time of his already wasted life (655). In the eyes of the cop, the addict at times does not obtain pity but only