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The prohibition of mind-altering substances in the United States has a long and complex history, one characterized by political conflict, special interests, misinformation and even a genuine concern for personal and societal well being. From the country’s first anti-drug law passed in San Francisco in 1875 to outlaw opium, throughout the following 140 years of legislation to address the ever-present voluntary use of officially denounced substances, the motivations and successes of these laws have been varied and highly arguable. In this essay I discuss the history of the drug war, its costs, harms, unintended consequences, unlikely beneficiaries, infractions of civil liberties, racism, economics, contribution to the deterioration of America's relationship with its domestic police forces, medical implications and more.
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Failure Institutionalized: The Folly, Costs and Consequences of the War on Drugs | 