Paper Example. Recent Efforts by the Government to Control Drug Use

The crack epidemic refers to the increased use of crack cocaine in the U.S. in the early 1980s. Crack cocaine became popular due to its low price, and euphoric effects. Crack cocaine was also highly profitable. The crack had a devastating impact in the U.S., particularly in African-American communities, because it caused addictions to the drug among youth, an increase in drug-related crimes, and an increase in drug-related deaths.

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Efforts to fight the crack epidemic began when President Ronald Reagan launched the "War on Drugs" whose goals were to fight drug trafficking and end the crack epidemic. The main idea of the "War on Drugs" was based on the deterrence theory, whereby the government would implement harsher penalties to help reduce the abuse of drugs.

The U.S. Congress, in 1986, passed a law creating a 100:1 sentencing disparity for possession of crack compared to penalties for trafficking or possession of powdered cocaine (Elsner 20). Anyone convicted in a federal court for possession of five grams of crack cocaine was sentenced to a minimum of five years in prison. This was the same case for anyone convicted of possession of 500 grams of powdered cocaine (Elsner 20).

The War on Drugs caused an increase in drug-related court cases and an increased population in American prisons. The main focus of this initiative was on small-scale drug dealers, who were mostly young African-American males from inner cities. There are several ways in which the government waged war on drugs. These reasons include the implementation of anti-drug laws by the federal government, increased funding to the federal anti-drug department, expansion of prison programs, and setting up private organizations to further the campaign on the drug war.

The Anti-Drug Abuse Act enacted in 1986 was a law passed by the U.S. Congress, which changed the minimum sentences for drug-related cases, including crack. The Act was combined with other acts such as the Money Laundering Control Act and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. The Money Laundering Control Act led to money laundering being criminalized for the first time in the United States, thus the profit that was being obtained from the sale and distribution of crack was dirty money, and one would face jail time if found guilty. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act also led to the establishment of mandatory minimum sentences for the possession and use of crack and cocaine. Lastly, the ActAct increased funding for the fight against drugs, some of which was used to fund the substance abuse treatment program, and drug counseling, and ensure international cooperation within countries to fight and reduce drug production.

The government also established independent sources for information on crack. The first source was the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which was a project set up to collect data on drugs, including crack that might be present in emergency cases in hospitals. The data obtained was taken when a patient mentioned the drug they took, whether recently or long before the incident that caused them to go to the hospital. The data collected was used to perform statistical analysis for the prevalence of crack in the U.S. This information was also used to show which states had the most cases of crack incidents.

Another source of information on crack was the surveys taken by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). NIDA sponsors surveys that produce data for statistics of crack use in the United States.These surveys provide information on the prevalence of crack in various states in the U.S. The information obtained can then be used to pinpoint locations that have the highest prevalence of crack, and how these users get the drug.

After-effects of the Effort to End the Crack Epidemic

One result of the fight to end the crack epidemic by the government was the increased population in prisons. The sentencing disparity of 100:1 ratio that the U.S. Congress passed in 1986 increased the number of convicted individuals due to possession of crack. With just five grams of crack in one's possession, one would be locked up for five years. Most cocaine dealers on the streets were often caught in possession of an average of more than 50 grams of crack. This amount was enough to trigger a 10-year imprisonment sentence. On the other hand, a dealer found in possession of 340 grams of powdered cocaine was enough to trigger a 5-year imprisonment sentence. From these figures, it is not difficult to understand why prison populations would increase exponentially during the War on Drugs.

The efforts by the government to end the crack epidemic helped raise awareness on the crack menace. The sources the government used to obtain information on the prevalence of crack in various communities made the information available to the public. It was found that crack was prevalent in inner cities of urban areas like New York. These inner cities often had impoverished neighborhoods and high unemployment rates. Jobless youth in these neighborhoods would enter the crack trade, and eventually fall victim to the drug, becoming addicted and not being able to break free from the habit.

The effort by the government to fight the crack epidemic has brought with it some social effects and consequences. One of these consequences is the increase in the number of young black males with long prison sentences. This increase is despite a decrease in the rate of illegal drug use since the fight against the crack epidemic. Police brutality against black people has also increased. One theory argues that the justice system of the U.S. is a mediator to racism against black people. The majority of users of crack were black people, and this created a chance to come up with harsh laws that targeted the use of crack. This way, many African-Americans were incarcerated without the need to imprison white people too. The prevalence of crack among black communities created a narrative about black people and crack addiction that the justice system took advantage of. The police and law enforcement authorities portrayed black crack users as very dangerous and unpredictable individuals who were harmful to the general well-being of the community around them. The justice system dealt with crack users in a way that left them unable to function normally in society after serving jail terms. Once a black man was arrested for crack, he was tried in court and served jail time. Once the man was released from jail, he would face a lot of social stigmas that would see him unable to get jobs or even associate with members of the society around him. Men who served jail time for crack were often labeled felons, and the community was not quick to forgive these types of men. The stigma they faced made them hate the rule of law, leaving them with very little motivation to follow the rule of law. These men would then go back to their old habits and end up going back to jail, and it would be an endless cycle of suffering and blame. The unfair incarcerations and convictions of these young black men led to losing access to voting and almost zero chances of being employed in the future. These factors led to desperation among young black African-American males, which in turn led to increased rates of crime in black neighborhoods and communities, as they had to do whatever they could to provide for their families and survive.

Looking back at the fight against crack, a more humane response would have been a better solution for the urban inner cities. For example, if the government had provided proper housing, more employment opportunities, and cheaper schools, the crack epidemic would not have prevailed as it did in these black communities. The unjust imprisonment of many black males during the War on Drugs from 1986 to 2000 just goes ahead to show that the justice system was not acting justly, but was inhumane and ruthless in its enacting of the law.

Drug Organizations that Fuel Drug Appetite in the U.S

Mexico

The Sinaloa Cartel is perhaps the world's largest drug-trafficking organization. It was founded in the 1980s and was headed by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Under El Chapo's leadership, the cartel was known for its extreme violence to be the leading drug cartel and to defeat rival drug cartels. The Sinaloa cartel tortured and killed members of rival drug cartels. The cartel has an extensive collection of weapons, including rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

The cartel drug activities involve the smuggling of drugs such as Colombian cocaine, methamphetamine, Mexican heroin, and Mexican Marijuana into the United States (Mallory 67). According to the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report of 2008, the Sinaloa cartel hired a group called the Herrera Organization that transported large amounts of cocaine from South America to Guatemala. From Guatemala, the cocaine was later smuggled into the northern part of Mexico and then into the United States.

The organization's leader, El Chapo, was sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2019. However, the Sinaloa cartel is still powerful and is now being controlled by El Chapo's son, Ovidio Guzman Lopez.

The Gulf Cartel is another major drug organization based in Mexico that smuggles drugs into the United States. The cartel has operations in the United States, in locations such as Roma and Rio Grande City (Adler 456). The organization often depends on its connections with street gangs in the U.S to operate.

Colombia

Colombia is known for its drug trade, with the world's most powerful drug lord, Pablo Escobar, coming from this country. Pablo Escobar was the leader of the Medellin Cartel, the most prominent drug organization in Colombia in the 1980s and 1990s. The organization collapsed when its leaders, including Escobar, were killed. Drug organizations in Colombia realized that large drug organizations often face threats and attacks from the United States and Colombian authorities. On realizing this, the drug cartels formed smaller groups and split responsibilities. One group smuggles the drugs into Mexico and later the U.S., while the other group operates labs in the jungle. Another group deals with the transportation of drugs from the fields to the labs. The drug trade in Colombia today is mostly done by the Colombian Marxist guerilla group. The Colombian National Police and the DEA have reported that there are more than 300 drug organizations in the country today.

Afghanistan

In the global drug trade, Afghanistan is best known for its trade in opiates, and it is among the largest grower of hashish. Global trade in opiates from Afghanistan is prominent and is a transnational threat in the fight against illegal drugs. Afghan opiates are trafficked to the majority of the continents in the world.

More recently, Afghanistan has become known for dealing in methamphetamine. This is a new type of trade for Afghanistan, and it might have originated from Iran, which has had drug problems with meth. Migrant laborers from Iran might have introduced the business to Afghanistan. The meth most likely goes back to Iran and finds its way to Europe and Russia.

Change in legal attitude toward marijuana

Marijuana legalization policies at the state level have been changing for the past few decades. Federal law has illegalized the use and distribution of marijuana in the U.S since 1937. However, several states have been flexible with their marijuana liberalization policies. In the 1970s, some states started working on liberalization policies of marijuana. In the 1990s, some states adopted the medical use of marijuana. Recently, a number of states in the U.S have legalized the recreational use of the drug. All these changes have resulted in a broad spectrum of liberalization policies that are not sufficiently considered when making policy changes.