|
|
|
|
We Have No 'War on Drugs' |
| Section: CURRENT ISSUES / SPECIAL REPORT--IS IT A WAR ON DRUGS? |
| Author: Barry Mccaffrey |
| Publication:
The World & I Online |
| Issue Date: 2/1/2000 |
| Size: 1,037 Words, 6,606 Characters |
|
The ill-chosen term war on drugs illustrates the problem that can develop from using misplaced military metaphors. The so-called war on drugs is not the "longest war in U.S. history," as some have claimed, because the effort to reduce substance abuse is not a war. If we use the term war for any sustained initiative, we could term education the "war on ignorance." Then we might argue erroneously that since American schools failed to stamp out ignorance despite centuries of schooling, the country has lost what is truly the longest "war" and therefore should close all schools.
In fact, the United States is a lot closer to reducing substance abuse. Drug...
Read Full Article
...r lifesaving health measures. In general, our laws indicate that self-destructive activity should not be permitted. Drug consumption damages the brain, which in turn produces other forms of negative behavior. U.S. law does not grant people the right to destroy themselves or others. Addictive drugs were criminalized because they are harmful; they are not harmful because they were criminalized.
(667 of 6,606 characters)
|
|
|
Publication Details
(The World & I Online) |
|
The World & I Online is a
comprehensive academic resource that encompasses a broad range of
articles by scholars and experts in the areas of Global Studies,
Liberal Arts, Fine & Applied Arts, General Science, and Spanish.
Originally published monthly in print as The World & I, our site
includes the complete contents since 1986 and continues to publish
a new issue online each month. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
