Funds should be redirected toward education and harm reduction organizations. The real problems are not from drugs, but from the anti drugs laws and prevention efforts. The war on drugs should end because like prohibition, "the 'cure' here is worse than the 'disease.'".
After John Ehrilichman, one of Nixon's advisors told him that narcotics repression was a "sexy political issue" the war on drugs was then declared and used as "election ammunition" during the 1968 presidential campaign. The war on drugs was a political tool elaborately orchestrated to convert fear into genuine support during elections. Over the years the only progression that has been made are in the careers of politicians and bureaucrats who claim they want to end substance abuse. The Controlled Substance Act of 1970 significantly increased penalties for the possession and trafficking of such drugs as marijuana, LSD, and cocaine. Many other stricter bills were also passed since then that has had absolutely no impact on the drugs issue itself. The war on drugs is a great miss-conception and a failure. The only successful thing the government has accomplished over the last decade was wasting tax money, and filling up the already crowded prison system.
Information from the Office of National Drug Control Policy stated the funding for the war on drugs increased from $1.65 billion in 1982 to $17.7 billion in 1999. Despite all efforts made by the government the usage of drugs has continued to increase. Statistic from the Office of National Drug Control Policy show that in 1999 more than half of the students from high school before graduating had tried an illegal drug. Additionally, 65% have tried cigarettes by 12th grade and 35% are current smokers. Such catchy slogans as "Just Say No" from anti drug ads have proven to be ineffective to adolescents. D.A.R.E, the largest US drug resistance education programs, was also proven to be hopeless in the war on drugs.
