Richard Nixon War On Drugs

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U.S. & The War on Drugs Four decades ago, the President Richard Nixon declared a “War on Drugs.” It all started in 1960s, when drugs became a symbolization of rebellion, political dissent, and social upheaval. In 1969, President Nixon identified drug abuse as a national threat. He cited the rise in drug use and crime rates, and called for a national anti-drug policy at both the state and federal level. In 1971, he officially announced the “War on Drugs” and stated that drug abuse was the public’s number one enemy, and temporarily placed marijuana as a schedule 1 substance. In July 1973, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was created to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations. As Nixon began his war against drugs, states started to follow, such as New York, where the …show more content…
The laws mandated stricter sentencing guidelines. For instance, the conviction for someone possessing four ounces or more of heroin or cocaine could be punished by at least 15 years to life in prison. For the prosecutors, the laws made it easier to make cases. Others criticized the laws since they were to harsh for many first-time offenders. However, the Rockefeller Drug Laws were amended in 2004 and 2005 to ease some of the most severe sentences. Between 1973 and 1979, many states enacted tough laws against drugs, but marijuana was mostly exempt to the extent that some states even eased their marijuana laws by decriminalizing possession of small amounts. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter tried to decriminalize the possessing of up to an ounce of marijuana for personal use, but when the Senate Judiciary Committee voted, the measure never received enough support to become law. When President Ronald Reagan came to power, he expanded the drug war, and during his administration, the number of people behind bars for nonviolent drug law offenses increased. In 1982, Nancy Reagan, then the First Lady, began an

Michelle Alexander The New Jim Crow Summary

Is the “war on drugs” really racist? On the surface, crime and punishment appear to be unsophisticated matters. After all, if someone partakes in a crime, shouldn’t he or she have to suffer the consequences? In the article “The New Jim Crow,” author Michelle Alexander argues that "hundreds of thousands of black men are taken away in handcuffs, often due to a massive federal program know as the War on Drugs” (739). The “war on drugs” was declared by president Richard Nixon in 1971, as recreational…

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War on Drugs: A Controversial Campaign Essay

"War on Drugs" is a term commonly applied to a controversial campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, and the stated aim to define and reduce the illegal drug trade.[5][6] This initiative includes a set of drug policies of the United States that are intended to discourage the production, distribution, and consumption of illegal psychoactive drugs. The term was first used by…

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Nixon's Tough-On-Crime Policy

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Stereotypes In Disney Movies

Feminism, gender roles and mental health are just a few of the topics covered in Disney classics. But in the 2016 Oscar winning film Zootopia, some of the issues that are addressed hit close to home in America; racial profiling and stereotypes, the war on drugs in communities and the nature vs nurture debate. Zootopia follows Judy Hopps, a bunny from the town of Bunnyburrow who aspires to become the first rabbit police officer. Hopps moves to Zootopia, a “gleaming…

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History of the US 2 Essay

Unit 5 US History ll complete 1 Richard Nixon was the 37th president of the United States, and he was considered one of the most complex presidents in history. Nixon became president in America, during a major division because of the Vietnam War. He soon ended the fighting, and regained peace within America (Freidal, F., Sidey, H, 2006). Nixon ended the draft. ` Nixon also improved relations with the Soviet Union. Nixon responded to problems with a great attitude, and a strong drive that came from…

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Summary Of Chapter 8: Poison Dreams, Unpinned, 1960-1969

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This Is Your Country On Drugs Analysis

The Futility and Hypocrisy of War on Drugs in America Ryan Grim’s book, “This Is Your Country on Drugs – The Secret History of Getting High in America,” demonstrates the complex relationship between the American people, their drugs, and their government. In his book, he displays his extensive research on the history of drugs and drug policies in America. With a professional tone throughout, Grim is unabashed to admit his past of using and enjoying drugs, while providing solid evidence to back up…

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