US Drug Policy

A New Approach

Seminar Paper , 2010 , 18 Pages , Grade: 1,3

Politics - Region: USA

The US likes to fight ‘wars’ when it faces huge challenges: Lyndon B. Johnson fought the ‘war on poverty,’ George W. Bush started the ‘war on terrorism,’ and Richard M. Nixon first talked about the ‘war on drugs.’ One can discuss if these wars failed; however, none of these battles can be framed as a total success. It can be assumed that these long-term overarching wars were better fought on a lower level with less ambitious but more practicable goals.
With regard to the US prohibitionist policy on certain psychoactive substances, I will evaluate the US ‘war on drugs.’ Before taking a closer look at the data, I will outline the criteria which should be used to guide public policy in the area of psychoactive substances. The scrutiny of the statistics of the drug phenomenon in the US will then lead to my analysis of possible policy solutions for those fields where the ‘war on drugs’ has not been successful. The standpoints and arguments of different interest groups in the public policy field will be discussed, and strategies for coalition building outlined. In a further step, I will describe how international policies can support my public policy. Different types of evidence to assess the future progress of my policy advices will conclude my analysis and will be followed by an outlook.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Criteria for Guiding Public Policy in the Area of Psychoactive Substances
• The US 'War on Drugs'
  • Evaluation of the US Drug Policy
  • Lack of Progress and Failure of the US Drug Policy
• Analysis of a Public Policy on Drugs
  • Cost Increase for Alcohol Consumption and Crimes under the Involvement of Alcohol
  • Decriminalization of Marijuana on the State Level
  • Professional Programs in Schools to Raise Risk Awareness
  • Extension of Psychological Services for Students in Educational Institutions
• Supportive International Policies
• Evidence for Assessing the Progress of a Public Policy on Drugs
• Conclusion & Outlook
• Bibliography

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This paper aims to evaluate the US 'war on drugs' from a rational choice perspective, focusing on the public health aspect of the psychoactive substance commodity system. The analysis will examine the effectiveness of the current prohibitionist policy, identify areas where it has failed, and propose alternative policy solutions based on harm reduction principles.

• Evaluation of the US 'war on drugs' and its effectiveness in reducing drug use and related harms.
• Analysis of the cost-benefit analysis of the current drug policy and its impact on public health.
• Exploration of alternative policy solutions, including decriminalization of marijuana, increased funding for drug treatment and prevention programs, and harm reduction strategies.
• Discussion of the role of international cooperation in addressing the global drug trade.
• Assessment of the evidence needed to evaluate the progress of a public policy on drugs.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction provides an overview of the US 'war on drugs' and its historical context, highlighting the need for a more nuanced approach to drug policy. The paper then outlines the criteria for guiding public policy in the area of psychoactive substances, emphasizing the importance of a rational choice perspective and harm reduction principles.

The following chapter analyzes the data on drug use in the US, focusing on the consumption of illicit drugs by youth and the general population. The analysis reveals that the 'war on drugs' has not been successful in reducing drug use, particularly for marijuana. The chapter also examines the relationship between drug use and crime, highlighting the need for alternative approaches to drug policy that prioritize public health.

The paper then explores potential policy solutions, including decriminalization of marijuana, increased funding for drug treatment and prevention programs, and the expansion of psychological services for students in educational institutions. The chapter also discusses the importance of international cooperation in addressing the global drug trade.

The final section outlines the evidence needed to assess the progress of a public policy on drugs, emphasizing the importance of long-term data collection and analysis. The paper concludes with an outlook on the future of drug policy in the US, highlighting the need for a more evidence-based and compassionate approach.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include drug policy, harm reduction, rational choice theory, public health, psychoactive substances, marijuana, decriminalization, drug treatment, prevention programs, international cooperation, and evidence-based policy.

• College: University of California, San Diego (Department of Political Science)
• Course: International Politics and Drugs
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Renard Teipelke (Author)
• Publication Year: 2010
• Pages: 18
• Catalog Number: V149678
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640603947
• ISBN (Book): 9783640604098
• Language: English
• Tags: us, drug, policy, strategy, phenomenon, psychoactive, substance, alcohol, crime, marijuana, risk, awareness, illicit, war on drug, prescription, state, school, education