In today's post, I'd like to focus on the so-called war on drugs that America has been waging. Unfortunately, if the true purpose of this war was to eradicate drugs, perhaps things would not be so bad. But, it's not. The true purpose is to put more people in prison to generate profits for the prison industry and lawyers. The problem is that drugs, as many other things in our country, are a profit driven industry.
Since prisons are a huge for-profit industry, every drug user put in prison generates income for the criminal justice system. Lawyers make money, local governments make money, private prison corporations make money. That is cruel and barbaric - and frankly I think it violates the US constitution forbidding cruel and unusual punishment.
America's response to someone using drugs is to put them in prison. A huge percentage of America's prison population (the larges in the world on a per-capita basis) are there for drug offenses. It could remotely make sense if they were there for selling drugs, but alas, no - most are for USING drugs.
And what are the causes of drug use? Easy answer: lack of education, lack of opportunity - a culture of mass media glorifying get rich quick schemes, rappers, movie stars and alike.
How cruel and barbaric is our society for putting drug users in prison? Drug use is an addiction and a medical condition, much like diabetes or heart disease. Drug users are SICK. Well, how is putting a sick person in prison going to help them? Answer - very little. Instead, it takes people already in a difficult spot and makes their life worse.
Drug users need to be treated by a doctor - not go to prison. These people need help. They are crying out for help and our society fails them. It's very sad and unfortunate.
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