The War on Drugs Free Essay Example, 1250 words

These costs are not only those experienced by the habitual user, but also to local and federal governments in the War on Drugs program. As most Westernized, industrial nations realize the impact of drug trafficking on domestic soil, the U. S. is working diligently in cooperation with various foreign leadership to control the production of the plants which provide the raw materials necessary for drug manufacture. In fact, in Afghanistan, commonly known as one of the largest producers of poppy plants for opium production, the United States is exerting considerable military might and authority to destroy these poppy farms and prevent the Eastern movement of narcotics into the country (Rogers & Blackstone). Protesting these activities are the actual farmers of the poppy plant, who have based a significant portion of the countrys economic stability related to opium production. The difficulties with these measures are that each time the U. S. destroys acres of plants, new farming activities begin in a different region, causing extreme difficulty in halting Middle East poppy production altogether. Further, in Panama, a large coca producing country and cocaine producer, the United States continues to exert its authority (and through cooperative efforts) to regulate coca plant harvesting. We will write a custom essay sample on The War on Drugs or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Once again, as the federal government achieves significant gains in Panama related to coca production, illegal coca farms are established outside of governmentally-controlled regions where locating their illegal products becomes a monumental challenge (Rogers & Blackstone). Domestically, halting the flow of foreign illegal substances involves monitoring the coastal areas of the country, as a large majority of cocaine and heroin are imported via seafaring vessels. Various federal agencies are responsible for maintaining customs and border patrols, however with each new control initiative, traffickers are developing new and innovative methods to secure the movement of their illegal products. From virtually any viewpoint, this represents a tremendous need to reinvent the coastal patrol and customs activities so as to halt illegal drug movements. DOMESTIC PROBLEMS One of the most primary problems with the War on Drugs and its associated domestic campaigns is the reality of harsh drug-related convictions. Record numbers of offenders, ranging from the small-time user to the habitual user, are flooding the American prison system which is leading to massive overcrowding (Vagra, 2005).