The war on drugs

Kanisa George

In the early 1980s, then US president Ronald Reagan initiated his war on drugs campaign in response to what was viewed as a drug use endemic in the US. The Just Say No to Drugs campaign created a new system of drug enforcement, underscored by increased penalties for drug possession, minimum sentences for drug-related offences, and increased funding for drug enforcement measures.

Some might argue the sole purpose of this campaign was the infamy of Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel. At the heights of its operation in the mid-1970s, it is estimated that the Medellin Cartel imported approximately 15 tonnes of cocaine into the US, using the Caribbean and other South American countries as transit hubs. Introducing what is now known as the transnational drug trade to the Caribbean region, this activity brought a barrage of socio-economic issues along for the ride. The infamous Scott Drug Commission reported that the Medellin Cartel flooded TT with drugs for movement through the island chain to the US and Europe, forever changing the landscape of our society.

But drugs didn’t always have a bad rap. For centuries many drugs that have now garnered illegal status, such as marijuana, opium, coca, and psychedelics have been used for medical and spiritual purposes.

Some archaeologists believe that enough evidence suggests international drug trades existed from as early as 1000 BC.

Drug use was common in ancient times, and it was a feature in almost every society. So, should it then come as a surprise that drug use has remained so common in modern-day society?

Socialisation has forced us to believe that drug use is simply a fad wrapped in the arms of youth and revelry. When in fact, many liken it to an institution.

Sociologist Erich Goode posited that “humans have been ingesting drugs for thousands of years. And throughout recorded time, significant numbers of nearly every society on earth have used one or more drugs to achieve certain desired physical or mental states.

The ancient Sumerians started using opium around about 5000 BCE, and what we know today as marijuana has been used in Chinese society since 3000 BCE.

So how did we get from there to here and back?

When did drugs become the root of all evil?

It is often said that too much of anything is good for nothing. The race for that indescribable high that drugs offer fuels our need for more. The result, a breakdown in social norms, family ties, and, you guessed it, the onslaught of violent crimes.

In the early 19th century the use of opium, made famous throughout the war, skyrocketed owing to a lack of restrictions. One writer posits that children were calmed with opium derivatives in almost every corner of the world. And adults used many popular patent medicines liberally larded with opiates. Even our favourite movie night drink, Coca Cola contained the coca leaf extract, from which cocaine is derived, as one of its ingredients. But, above all, regulating these substances became the main cause for concern, resulting in overall bans and regulatory frameworks being put in place.

Since then, opioids, cocaine and several classified drugs have attracted a nasty reputation. So nasty that the prison system worldwide has been filled to capacity with drug offenders. Opponents argued that these regulations only affected street dealers and users and didn’t crack down on “the man in charge.” In the US, researchers argued that this caused a disparity that led to a significant racial and class imbalance where minorities faced exorbitantly harsher punishment for the use and sale of virtually the same drug as their affluent counterparts.

Some argue that a reduction in public support for draconian aspects of drug policies and the potential for governments to increase income streams led to talks on decriminalisation. But somewhere in the thick of things, lawmakers in jurisdictions here, there and everywhere started addressing decriminalisation.

In 2011, the decriminalisation policy model received a major endorsement when the Global Commission on Drug Policy published its report, War on Drugs. The report recommended that countries adopt decriminalisation policies, among other initiatives.

To date, some US states allow access to marijuana for medical and recreational use, and other countries, including our very own, have implemented laws that decriminalise marijuana usage.

But why change the state of play?

The war on drugs has sadly downplayed one of the main issues: the health risk of drug use. By treating drug use and dependence as a health and social issue, not a criminal justice or moral issue, societies can potentially improve health and social outcomes.

Last week, Canada announced plans to temporarily decriminalise the possession of small amounts of some illicit drugs in British Columbia. This time-limited, three-year trial will allow adults to possess a combined total of 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA.

According to reports, while those substances will remain illegal, adults found in possession for personal use will not be arrested, charged or have their drugs seized. Instead, they will be offered information on public health and social services. It is hoped that by removing the shame that prevents people from seeking life-saving help, there would be a reduction in drug usage. But does this change the price of bread? Has decriminalisation changed the social landscape of drug use?

A study published by researchers Ari Rosemain and Niamh Eastwood found that the initial fears that decriminalisation would lead to a Pandora’s box of horrors were unfounded. In fact, after evaluating many decriminalisation policies in practice around the world, few broad, unifying conclusions can be drawn, except that the doomsday predictions of increased drug use and increase in overall harm did not come to pass.

The study furthered that enforcement policies appear to have a minor effect on the impact of drugs in society. Still, decriminalisation does appear to direct more drug users into treatment, reduce criminal justice costs, and shield many drug users from the devastating impact of a criminal conviction.

Drugs and society, society and drugs. It seems one can’t exist without the other. So how do we continue to perfect this dance amid policy, public health and moral codes? That is left to be seen.