Richard Nixon War On Drugs

The term “War on Drugs” is a phrase used that refers to a government-led initiative that aims to stop illegal drug use, as well as the distribution and trade of narcotics. Drug use and the abuse of drugs is a problem in the United States that not only causes financial problems but social problems as well.

In the late 1960s recreational drug use became popular among young, white middle class Americans. The use of drugs became more mainstream and was a main representative of protests and social rebellion. In June 1971, President Richard Nixon declared “war on drugs” in attempt to combat drug abuse, drug use and crime associated with the drug trade. With this, Nixon increased the number of federal funding for drug control agencies, such as the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention(SAODAP), the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement(ODALE), and the Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA), all in order to combat drugs in the United States. He also proposed strict measures, such as mandatory prison sentencing for drug related crimes. In August of 1974, President Nixon resigned from office after an impeachment process began against him that linked him to the Watergate scandal. Although Nixon was no longer president, the DEA continued on with his legacy and the war on drugs.

Many have pledged their full support to stop drug abuse but many have also declared it racist and political objectives. In 1986, Congress passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, that established mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain drug crimes and offences. Many citizens criticized the law and labeled it as racist because it allowed longer prison sentences for crimes involving crack cocaine, which was used more by black Americans, than crimes involving powder cocaine, used more by white americans. The movement was also criticized by advocating that people of color were targeted at higher rates than