The War on Drugs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The War on Drugs - Research Paper Example The initiative geared toward the prevention of drug abuse in the United States has raised concerns due to the huge sums of taxpayers’ money that are directed toward supporting it. According to Miron (2004), it consumes millions of dollars annually trying to maintain the war on drugs. This is an expenditure that many views as wastage of resources that could be useful for containing the rising crime rate. Moreover, it has been identified as an agent of corruption, mainly in the funding of the numerous task forces meant for the reduction of illegal trading and abuse of drugs. For example, the Byrne Justice Grant is one of the programs that have been set for funding the initiative and has proved to yield unsatisfactory results for many. In regard to the reduction of the illegal drug trade and abuse, the program has not been able to accomplish the desired results, and its existence raises questions as to why huge sums of taxpayers’ money should be used on such a futile under taking (Holden-Rhodes 1997). The awareness campaigns through television are also a major consumer of taxpayers’ money. Advertisements regarding drugs are mainly used to sensitize the population about drug abuse. All these anti-drug campaigns are usually exposed to corrupt deals, which is in itself a crime that is punishable under the laws of the United States. Moreover, the evidence that forms the basis for prosecution is usually minimal, which leads to the imprisonment of many citizens, especially those of the African American descent. The process is usually prone to lies and racial discrimination.