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Suraj Kumar

Professor Babcock

ENGL 137H

19 November 2021

Societal Perception of Drug Use, Addiction, and Policy

When you hear the word “drug,” you might instinctively have a negative reaction. Of

course, many illegal drugs, like cocaine, heroine, and methamphetamine have several negative

health effects, but so do many legal substances, like alcohol and tobacco. At the same time,

substances like cannabis and psychedelics (psilocybin mushrooms, LSD, DMT), which are

significantly less harmful than alcohol and actually have certain therapeutic and medicinal

benefits, are deemed illegal, The system of drug policy in the United States is extremely bizarre,

but how did it get this way in the first place? It all started in 1971, when President Richard

declared that drug abuse was “America’s public enemy number one” and started the War on

Drugs, a campaign led by the U.S. government to reduce drug use in America (Friedersdorf).

Federal funding for drug-control agencies skyrocketed, along with the introduction of mandatory

prison sentencing, setting stricter measures regarding drug use, and the creation of the Drug

Enforcement Administration two years later (“War on Drugs”). Unsurprisingly, these new drug

policies led to a substantial increase in the incarcerated population. According to the American

Civil Liberties Union, the incarcerated population has increased by 700% since the 1970s (“Mass

Incarceration”). Furthermore, nearly half of the incarcerated population are nonviolent drug

offenders (Hayes and Barnhorst). However, while the United States has now maintained a tough

position regarding drug use and abuse, a Pew Research Center survey found that support for

cannabis legalization has increased from around 12% in the early 1970s to 67% in 2019—almost
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a sixfold increase. Cannabis legalization is important, as it seems to be the first real step the

United States is taking to change drug policy, although only at a state level. Clearly, from the

start of the War on Drugs in the 1970s to present day, there has been a fundamental shift in

societal perception of drug use, policy, and addiction, from support for harsh, zero tolerance

incarceration to support for legalization, harm reduction, and rehabilitative policies. Drugs have

become less of a criminal issue and more of a health concern for several reasons.

The failure of the War on Drugs has demonstrated the ineffectiveness of harsh

punishment in response to drug use and addiction. It is important to realize that the War on Drugs

was not really about drugs in the first place. According to President Richard Nixon’s own

domestic policy chief, John Ehrlichman, it was intended to target two specific populations: “You

understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or

black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin,

and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities” (LoBianco). Indeed,

black Americans and hippies posed a threat to Nixon’s presidency, as their counter culture

clashed with American politics and threatened the military-industrial complex—hippies were

very anti-war, and hence, against the Vietnam war (which was still being fought at the time),

while black Americans continued to lead civil rights movements across the United States

(Lockie). Ehrlichman continues to say: “We could arrest their leaders. raid their homes, break up

their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were

lying about the drugs? Of course we did” (LoBianco). Essentially, the War on Drugs was not

really a tool to combat the drug abuse problem in America; instead, it was a political tool to

attack already-marginalized groups. In the time after Nixon declared his metaphorical war, only

two to six percent of the American public actually viewed drug abuse as the most important issue
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facing the nation, demonstrating that it was not a widespread, national worry (“A History of the

Drug War”). The racism rooted within the War on Drugs is apparent in the numbers—according

to the NAACP, black Americans are nearly six times more likely to be incarcerated for

drug-related offenses than their white counterparts, despite equal substance use among both races

(“Criminal Justice Fact Sheet”). The U.S. Census Bureau finds that almost 80% of people

federally serving time for a drug offense are black or latino (“Race and the Drug War”). This

system of mass incarceration and free prison labor was clearly built on racism and essentially

replaced the older systems of racial inequality—segregation (Jim Crow laws) and slavery

(Alexander). While the statistics speak for themselves, certain events have taken place over the

past couple of years that have brought the problems of the drug war to light, including the deaths

of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, both of whom were killed by police officers exercising

“authority” given to them by the War on Drugs. During Derek Chauvin’s (the officer who killed

Floyd) trial, the defense justified the killing by saying that small amounts of fentanyl were found

in Floyd’s body (Mann). Many were quick to critique the inadequacy of the argument and

weaponization of Floyd’s substance abuse disorder. In contrast, Breonna Taylor was not even a

suspect but was killed during a no-knock drug raid of their apartment (Mann). These events,

along with several other unjustified police killings, sparked the Black Lives Matter movement

and opened many eyes to the cruel reality of racially-charged police brutality, a product of the

War on Drugs. In a world where Nixon never declared his drug war, it is likely these tragedies

would not have occurred.

In addition to not truly being about drugs, the War on Drugs was indisputably a failure.

Since 1971, the war has cost the United States over a trillion dollars (“Mass Incarceration: The

Whole Pie 2015”). Despite this huge investment to combat drug abuse, the results are
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disappointing. While there was an initial drop in illicit drug use during the first couple of years

following the declaration of the drug war, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration discovered that the number of illicit drug users aged twelve years or older

reached 13% in 2019, almost reaching the historical peak number of drug users forty years ago

(“Section 1 PE Tables…”). Overcrowding in jails became a common sight; according to the

Human Rights Watch, someone is arrested for drug possession every 25 seconds (Stauffer). Mass

incarceration itself takes an economic toll, as it costs the federal government at least 182 billion

dollars every year (“Following the Money of Mass Incarceration”). The War on Drugs was a

failure and people understand this fact. A poll conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union

in 2021 found that 65% of American voters support ending the War on Drugs and 83% believe it

was a failure (“On 50th Anniversary of War on Drugs…”). With the failure of harsh punishment

as a means to handle drug problems in America clear for all to see, the shame surrounding drug

abuse and addiction was diminished.

The stigma surrounding drug use and addiction has decreased over time, aiding the shift

in societal perception of drugs from a criminal issue to more of a health issue. When Richard

Nixon started the War on Drugs in the 1970s, he demonized illicit substances, and consequently,

the people who abused and were addicted to them. Addiction is a very complex, but treatable

brain disorder, but when certain drugs were made illegal, people who suffered from addiction

were villainized and began to be viewed as “drug addicts” and criminals rather than people who

just required medical intervention. Drug addiction is very similar to mental illness: both are

chronic conditions, but treatable (“Study: Public Feels More Negative…”). Unfortunately, a

nationally representative sample in 2013 found that only 22% of people would be comfortable

working with a drug addict, compared to 62% of respondents that are fine with working with
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someone with a mental illness (“Study: Public Feels More Negative…”). As a result of the War

on Drugs, there is clearly a cultural lag when it comes to discussion about the stigmatization of

drug abuse and addiction, and as a result of this stigma and the fact that certain drug use is

illegal, many are afraid to open up about their problems, preventing them from getting the aid

that they need (“Removing the Stigma of Addiction”). Since the 1970s, however, there has been

a lot more research conducted on drugs and addiction in general. This research, coupled with the

failure of the War on Drugs and its harsh policies as a response to drug use, along with better

drug education, has led to a cultural decline of the stigmatization of drug addiction. Nowadays, it

is more seen as a treatable illness rather than criminal behavior or a moral failing.

With less demonization of substances, the actual effects of certain drugs have become

more clear, including benefits. Several studies confirm that cannabis helps reduce pain,

inflammation, mental disorders, and poor sleep patterns (Cherney). Cannabis use can even treat

post traumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance addictions, like alcoholism (Walsh).

Psychedelics, like LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, have similar therapeutic and medicinal

effects (Villines). People are beginning to snap out of the propaganda instilled by the War on

Drugs and are beginning to understand that not all drugs are destructive towards a person’s

well-being—the number one reason why people actually support the legalization of cannabis in

the United States is its medicinal benefits, according to a Gallup poll conducted in 2019 (Jones).

This support for legalization represents a change in society’s perception of drugs themselves. At

the end of the day, drugs are not evil just because a few people deemed them illegal a few

decades ago. Our ancestors have participated in drug use for a variety of reasons, like religious

and medicinal use, as far back as records documenting human history go (Crocq). For example,

Amanita muscaria (the iconic red mushroom with white spots), a psychedelic, has been used
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throughout Asia for at least four thousand years, particularly in religious rituals (Crocq). Who

knows how much of our culture and customs have been shaped by psychoactive substances.

Over the past couple of decades, America has generally become significantly more

progressive with more support for liberal policies, aiding the change in societal perception of

drug use and addiction. It seems that almost every progressive movement, like support for civil

rights and LGBTQ, is eventually accepted and normalized in society over a long period of time.

Indeed, support for cannabis legalization mirrors support for other progressive movements, like

support for same-sex marriage (McCarthy). The trend is quite simple: the majority of people do

not support it at one point in time, and over a few decades, the graph gradually flips a full 180

degrees, with the majority being in favor of the progressive policy nowadays. Along with the

evident failure of the War on Drugs and less stigmatization of drugs and addiction, people are

becoming more progressive, and thus, supporting movements for active change in America, like

a change in drug policy. In simple terms, progressivism is support for social reform; the opposite

of conservatism (“Progressivism”). When people think about progressivism in the context of

American politics, they usually think of the Democratic party and leftism. In the American

two-party system, Democrats are seen as wanting social reform, whether it be in relation to race,

sexuality, gender, or in this case, drug policy, while Republicans are seen as wanting to keep the

status quo. Historically, American progress seems to be primarily based on equality and freedom.

The civil rights movement of the mid-1900s aimed to end the segregation of black Americans,

promoting racial equality and freedom. Movements supporting the LGBTQ community have

been around since the 1960s and all led to President Barack Obama finally legalizing same-sex

marriage in 2015, once again promoting equality and the freedom to marry the same sex.

Movements for cannabis legalization and drug policy change also follow this norm, as they clash
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with the harsh, racist system of mass incarceration and promote the freedom to use substances

and seek help for abuse without fear of imprisonment. According to a 2021 Gallup poll, more

and more people are identifying as Democrat compared to those identifying as Republican,

demonstrating a rise in support for more progressive policies (Jones).

While Democrats are more likely to support progressive policies, progress is not limited

to a single party. There is bipartisan support for a change in drug policy. Despite the conservative

position being “stricter punishment” for drug use, polls conducted by the Pew Research Center

confirm that even those who identify as Republican (a party associated with conservatism and

keeping the status quo) or Independent support the legalization of cannabis (Daniller).

Interestingly, 82% of Republicans voters in the ACLU poll agreed that the War on Drugs was a

failure, yet continue to be the main opposition towards a change in drug policy (“On 50th

Anniversary of War on Drugs…”). Similarly, while young people are more likely to support

progressive policies, progress is not limited to age either. The same Pew Research Center polls

found that the majority of millennials, Generation X, and baby boomers support cannabis

legalization, demonstrating that there is even a generational change towards progressivism

(Daniller). The oldest generation, the Silent Generation, are the least supportive, with only 35%

of respondents agreeing with cannabis legalization. Regardless, every political party and

generation in the United States is becoming more socially liberal over time with more support for

social reform, and consequently, more support for legalization and more harm reduction policies

regarding drug use, abuse, and addiction.

Despite the clear shift in America’s perception of drugs and fifty years of failure, the War

on Drugs is still taking place today. The United States government is spending more money now

to enforce harsh drug policies than they ever have before (34.6 billion dollars in 2020)—almost a
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1,000% spending increase in forty years (Lee). This will not change anytime soon, as the White

House estimates the national drug control budget to be 41 billion dollars in 2022, the highest it

has ever been (“National Drug Control Budget”). Why is the War on Drugs still being waged? It

is because this system of harsh punishment as drug policy has deep roots in every aspect of our

society. War on Drugs rhetoric is still taught in school systems and as mentioned before,

Republicans/conservatives still remain as the main opposition towards actual change in drug

policy. Figures like our previous president, Donald Trump, perpetuate zero tolerance, harsh

punishment rhetoric while advocating for other projects to prevent the spread of drugs, like “the

wall,” which has been criticized for being practically useless in stopping drugs from getting

inside the border. The War on Drugs has also had negative effects outside of the American

borders. When the War on Drugs started and drugs became heavily criminalized, an illegal drug

market was ripe for the taking. Drug cartels in Latin America capitalized on America’s new drug

policies, and made billions through illegally trading drugs, like cocaine, across the border

(Lockie). Along with cartels came unimaginable violence and terror in Latin America, causing

many migrants to flee to the United States. President Trump’s administration instilled a border

system that broke up families and jailed many of these minorities, a system that has seen little

change since Biden’s inauguration (Lockie). In a twisted way, Nixon’s original plan to

criminalize and disenfranchise minorities seems to have reached places and groups he did not

expect fifty years later.

Although the War on Drugs is still being waged, the United States has started a slow,

legal shift alongside the change in societal perception of drug use and policy. Cannabis

legalization seems to be the first step towards drug reform in this country, with recreational

cannabis being legalized in eighteen states so far (Leins). Besides abstinence and prevention,
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what is the best way to handle drug use, abuse, and addiction, if not harsh punishment? The

answer may be found in Portugal. Before the start of the 21st century, Portugal suffered greatly

from a nationwide addiction problem, and their solution to the drug problem was a system quite

familiar to Americans: harsh drug policies, the criminal justice system, and mass incarceration.

This did not work (like it is not working in America), so in 2001, Portugal took a radical step no

country has ever taken before—it decriminalized all drugs. Instead of punishing addicts, they

prioritized rehabilitation, safe use, and harm reduction (Bajekal). The idea is quite simple: if

people are going to use drugs, which they would even if it was heavily criminalized, the

government might as well provide a safe space to do so and also provide treatment. While drug

dealing is still a crime in Portugal, people who possess drugs like cannabis or heroin are sent to

get treatment or rehabilitation, not placed in front of a judge or behind bars (Bajekal). Materials

for safer drug consumption, like clean needles, are handed out through different programs

(Bajekal). Drug consumption facilities are beginning to get opened up, allowing users to

consume drugs in a safe, supervised manner. Portugal was essentially successful at eliminating

the stigma surrounding drug abuse and addiction. The results speak for themselves: although

Portugal saw an increase in lifetime prevalence of drug use, they saw a significant drop in

drug-related deaths and drug use in general (“Drug Decriminalisation in Portugal…”).

Portugal’s success proves that legalization and the promotion of safe use is significantly

more successful than zero-tolerance punishment. Simply put, drugs do not work as a criminal

issue, but with the clear failure of the racist War on Drugs, the decreased stigmatization of drug

addiction, and progressivism, drugs have been transformed into a health issue, at least on a

cultural level. In the past fifty years, it has been evident that the criminal justice system is not the

way to handle drug use, abuse, and addiction. At the end of the day, safety and preventing loss of
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life should be the most important prioritization of any society, not pointless punishment, and

people understand this. The law just needs to catch up.

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