One type of crime that is steadily increasing is drug offenses. There are numerous types of illegal drugs and these drugs are more potent and more dangerous than ever. Those people that distribute drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and barbiturates are the worst kind of criminal and whatever punishment is given definitely fits the crime. In this paper I will discuss the mandatory sentencing laws and whether these laws are biased towards blacks, particularly the black male. Drug crimes have increased dramatically and throughout the years and the government took the initiative to address the drug crisis.
The most important difference between the two drugs is crack permits the user to a quick and very extreme high, while the powder cocaine allows the user to a slower and a weaker high. So why is there a huge difference in the penalty and sentencing policy associated with the possession of these two drugs? The reason why there is a difference in the consequence associated with the two drugs is because crack is more highly addictive and dangerous than powder cocaine. Since crack is more addictive and relatively less expensive compared to powder cocaine, a conviction of 5 grams of crack with the intention to distribute is penalized with a five years sentence. In contrast, a conviction for a five year sentence for powder cocaine with the intention to distribute is for 500 grams.
Marijuana may cause panic and stress attacks in extreme cases but helps ones gain back loss of appetite, and can dull pain from radiation treatments (GetGoing, 2011). The withdrawal effects of marijuana are minimal but can reverse the features it enhances. Conversely is the use of drugs such as cocaine and heroin. According to GetGoing (2011) using heroin or cocaine, powdered or crack (rock), even one time causes such intense cravings for some individuals that they use it again and again, rapidly becoming addicted. Furthermore, crack is the most highly addictive of all the drugs available because it is smoked and therefore stimulates the brain directly (GetGoing, 2011 p. 2).
Heroin, which has often been portrayed as being highly addictive, is only so for a small percentage of users. Current legislation also has ramifications on the social lives and well-being of individuals who are prosecuted under anti-drug laws. The primary means of this is stigmatization. According to Cleveland, a policy economist, “policies that stigmatize and imprison drug users may hurt rather than help young people and problem users” (as cited in Thronton, 2007, p.423). Indeed, the criminalization of individuals who—often—are otherwise law-abiding citizens, can affect their relationships with family and friends, as well as their standings with employers and loaners (Ezard, 2001).
War on Drugs CJA/464 July 20, 2015 War on Drugs In the 1970’s President Nixon declared the “War on Drugs” and that was the catalyst of change all over the nation. As the public wanted tougher sentencing and less drugs on their streets, their elected officials began changing laws to appease their constituents (Drug Policy Alliance, 2015). President Nixon drastically increased the size of the federal drug control offices and pushed for their strongest and most visible presence. Many changes flooded into our system and the no knock warrants and mandatory sentencing policies evolved into bigger policies. These policy changes included the “Truth in Sentencing” laws which required inmates to serve 85 percent of their sentences.
In 1971, President Nixon officially declares a "war on drugs". This policy was strengthened during the Reagan administration. “Reagan signs the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, which appropriates $1.7 billion to fight the drug war. The bill also creates mandatory minimum penalties for drug offenses, which are increasingly criticized for promoting significant racial disparities in the prison population because of the differences in sentencing for crack and powder cocaine. Possession of crack, which is cheaper, results in a harsher sentence; the majority of crack users are lower income…President George H.W.
Even using the words 'legalization' and Federalism and Marijuana 'decriminalization' invite debate as one would suggest that the illegalization was right and proper and the other suggests the criminalization was the wrong thing to do in the first place, thereby creating a culture of criminals where there should never have been. The fact remains that marijuana is the drug of choice throughout the country. While average Americans may be hard pressed to find users of narcotics like heroin or even cocaine, nearly everyone at least knows someone who partakes in marijuana use, medical or otherwise. In 2011 less than 2 million people tried cocaine, less than 400,000 experimented with heroin, but 28 million people
What we are talking about the United States or other countries, drug addiction is a serious threat to keeping the general public in full. Illegal Drugs such as cocaine and heroin is responsible for countless premature deaths in the United States and the fear is that although aware of the negative health effects of drug abuse, they continue to experiment with dangerous remedy. Dangerous product to create a lot of damage to important parts of the human body. People addicted to work because the disease was fatal dependence. Long and healthy life can never be achieved if you take alcohol and drugs.
Cocaine is a very expensive drug also selling up to $100 per gram. It will affect you straight into the nervous system. Cocaine will affect your emotions. It will make you feel paranoid, hostile, and anxious, even when you are not high. Cocaine is addictive it interferes with the way your brain processes that create feelings of pleasure, so you need more and more of the drug just to feel normal at the time.
Drug Trafficking in the United States 03-30-2012 The topic that I have chosen to write my paper about is drug trafficking in the United States. There are a few reasons why I chose to write about drug trafficking in the United States the first reason is because of all the negative effects that it has on the United States as a whole, because it has gotten several friends of my in trouble with the law and dead, and finally because of how most people overlook the importance and severity of drug trafficking. I feel that by writing this paper it will give many people a lot of insight as to what is going on in the United States. That is why I chose to write my paper on drug trafficking in the United States. The claim that