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OPIOID EPIDEMIC & WAR ON DRUGS

Opioid Epidemic & War on Drugs

Jacque Power

The University of Alabama

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OPIOID EPIDEMIC & WAR ON DRUGS

In the world today, addiction and drug abuse both play a huge role in the lives of many

Americans. No American sets out to become dependent upon drugs, however millions today

suffer from that dependency. For decades the United States has approached this issue of rising

drug use and violence that may be attributed to the underground enterprise without measurable

and sustainable success. This issue became mainstream in the 1970’s as Richard Nixon started a

movement known as “War on Drugs”. The main goal of this initiative was to stop the

distribution, trade and illegal use of drugs. Today, the United States is also experiencing an

Opioid Epidemic. Both of these government led initiatives share many similarities in their

relationship with racism, economic classes and other policies within the justice system. The rise

in law enforcement, attention towards certain communities, and arrest rates are three common

similarities between the two.

The opioid epidemic and War on Drugs are areas of focus by the government of the

United States. A large amount of funding goes into law enforcement in the hopes of ending and

abolishing any sort of illegal use of drugs. A military and legislative battle has been waged

against both epidemics for the past several decades with varying degrees of intensity. In the

2000s, public opinion on drug policies has begun to shift as politicians and other influential

people have admitted to casual drug use in their past. 

The War on Drugs opened up far more transparency around the cause and affect drug

abuse creates across the country. Sources of drugs, active marketing of drugs, and even the

societal norms associated with drug use and dependency was under scrutiny. This effort over the

past several decades laid a foundation for the more targeted focus on fighting opioid dependency

in America that followed. That said, the approach, until most recently, has mainly been aimed at

increasing law enforcement and criminal prosecution as opposed to a balanced effort also aimed
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at the treatment of the illness itself and the underlying societal contributors. Many organizations

are coming together to shift the approach to attacking both trafficking and illegal enterprises as

well as the individual suffering from drug dependency.

As far back as the earliest fight against drug misuse, there has been an inequitable

incarceration rate of minorities. Black people make up 90% of drug prisoners in federal prisons.

(Boyd, 2001). The opioid epidemic carries more weight of incarceration among the white

community. The individuals who are arrested from illegal opioid use are considered to be victims

who need treatment, while the black community have no second chance and are more often sent

straight to jail. This shows the disproportionate share of drug enforcement and sentencing

practices. Congress passed the Anti- Drug Abuse Act in 1986, it actually differentiated between

what would be minimum prison sentences for crack cocaine and powder cocaine.  Crack was

believed to be the choice of many black Americans where powder cocaine was often the choice

of white Americans.  5 grams of crack triggered a mandatory 5 years, while powder cocaine was

set at 500 grams to receive that same 5-year sentence. (Vagins, 2006). Many historians have

cited a pattern indicating the use of the law to oppress certain communities and advantage others.

For example, in the early fight against opioid use in the late 1800s, the first laws were overtly

directed at Chinese immigrants. (Papillion, 2020).

There have been many attempts within the past few decades to re-examine policies on

drugs, imprisonment and disparate treatment within various communities. As President Clinton

was leaving office, he requested a systematic review of these laws and policies which has not

successfully reduced such biased policies. The battle wages on against illegal importation,

illegal distribution etc., while society has begun to acknowledge the “War on Drugs” was being

fought and lost with the tactics being used. Americans began asking more questions and placing
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this issue at the top of their political demands. Progress can be made, but there are still more

than 700,000 people arrested each year for what many consider minor drug offenses.

Leadership and policy makers often spin information or provide a less than objective

view of the issues in order to sway public fear, opinion or reaction.  For example, President

Nixon was publicly exposed by one of his staff for using the “War on Drugs” as a focused war

on black people. However, when speaking to the broader range of Americans he created fear as

he touted this war was necessary to save their children and their way of life knowing fear may

create division and even rash reaction. (Mullen, 2019). George W Bush, Clinton and even

President Obama have been accused of allowing continued and inequitable enforcement in an

effort to calm the general public. Many of these politicians have been accused of contributing to

fear and/or misinformation in order to achieve an objective that benefits them, their party or their

supporters. For example, the zero tolerance policies passed in the 1980s further empowered strict

treatment of offenders - often incarcerating many people who needed treatment. Although,

incarceration over care was deemed to be more palatable to their constituents. Some of these

tough policies restricted access to medical care and even clean syringes during the Aids epidemic

– which contributed to a rapid rise in cases across many communities of color. Even if these

political leaders may have meant well, they often had devastating results. They were not

approaching the problem holistically nor equitably and were thereby losing ground.

Overall, the solution to winning the “War on Drugs” as well defeating the opioid

epidemic will only be successful by redefining the legislative definition and treatment of non-

violent, minor drug offenses rather than resulting in felonies. Additionally, the unnecessary law

enforcement and prosecution targeting minority communities needs to be corrected. Minority and

poor communities are being ravaged by how this is working today. Law enforcement can make
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a difference by bringing the leaders in these communities together to stop the drug trade and drug

abuse in their communities. There can be a start in creating and funding treatment programs that

are equally accessible to all Americans that help these individuals regain their dignity and their

lives. Many healthcare policies should be re-evaluated to ensure access to treatment is effective

and readily available. The underlying poverty in many of these communities has to be addressed

by creating jobs and education programs that provide people tangible hope and a way to break

the cycle of poverty and depression that can often lead to drug use or engaging in drug dealing.

The opioid epidemic and War on Drugs share similarities as well as both of these battles will be

won in the trenches, person by person and community by community.

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References

American Civil Liberties Union. (2001). The Drug War is the New Jim Crow.

https://www.aclu.org/other/drug-war-new-jim-crow

History.com Editors, Mullen. (2019, December 17). War on Drugs. HISTORY.

https://www.history.com/topics/crime/the-war-on-drugs

The Opioid Crisis Explained in Black and White. (2019, November 15). Focus for Health.

https://www.focusforhealth.org/the-opioid-crisis-explained-in-black-and-white/

American Civil Liberties Union, & Vagins, D. (2006). ACLU Releases Crack Cocaine Report,

Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. American Civil Liberties Union.

https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-releases-crack-cocaine-report-anti-drug-abuse-

act-1986-deepened-racial-inequity

Papillion, N. (2020, July 9). Drug War History: Opium, Chinese Immigration & The Rise of the

“Yellow Peril.” Medium. https://medium.com/equityorg/drug-war-history-opium-

chinese-immigration-the-rise-of-the-yellow-peril-6aa89d36392a