PROJECT MENU: INTRO | CRITICISM | MARIJUANA | DRUG DEMAND | CONCLUSION
Introduction: I did my individual research project on the War On Drugs. This website project aims to expose the movement’s drawbacks and negative effects on American lives.
During the 19th century, several laws such as the Smoking Opium Exclusion Act in 1909, the Harrison Act of 1919, and the 18th amendment prohibited the use and distribution of many harmful drugs in the United States. Much of these laws paved the path for President Nixon’s “War on Drugs.”
In 1973, Nixon established the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) which began with $75 million in funding but now operates with over $3 billion in funding. Since 1986, the DEA has completed almost 1 million domestic arrests.
The DEA is often criticized by revisionist historians and current politicians for helping create racial disparities in poorer communities. Arguments claim that they promoted racial profiling in the 1980s and urged local/state law enforcement to adopt their practices.
