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Did the “war on drugs” work?

Before President Nixon was impeached, he declared that the United States would be fighting a war on drugs. Much of the public supported this and hoped that it would be successful.

It has now been more than four decades, so there’s quite a lot of data. Did the war on drugs work? Who won?

Report: The entire operation was a failure

According to some sources, the war on drugs completely failed. It did not stop drug use in the United States, and all I did was fill the prisons with millions of convicted criminals who had only committed drug crimes, from possession to trafficking and sales.

Additionally, critics claim that the war on drugs has caused a lot of problems. It has helped to spread AIDS and HIV, for instance, through the use of dirty needles. It has led to more drug overdoses than society would see otherwise.

The problem, they go on, is simply that making something a criminal offense just means that those who need assistance won’t ask for it. Someone who might have overdosed won’t go to the hospital. Their friends won’t call the paramedics.

What is the solution? These critics call for the decriminalization of drug use, noting that this will allow people to seek the assistance they need without worrying about their legal position. This would also reduce the strain on the prison system, and it would allow those who suffered from addictions to seek proper care or go to rehab, rather than facing jail time.

We have seen this happening to a degree, but how far the decriminalization of these products will go remains to be seen. Those who are facing serious charges must be sure that they understand all of their legal rights.