The Cost Of America's War On Drugs▼

News

Published 2317d ago

The war on drugs is meant to save lives, and it costs a whole lot of money in the process. The so-called "war's" execution is a debate unto itself. Let's focus on the numbers. The price tag has plumed over the years, and the manpower involved extends far beyond the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA. On paper, the DEA's mission is to "enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States" with almost  7,000 employees , 84 attorneys and nearly 3,500 agents. But  President Donald Trump's proposed budget  makes it clear this spreads far and wide, calling for "$27.8 billion for drug control efforts spanning prevention, treatment, interdiction, international operations, and law enforcement across 14 Executive Branch departments, the Federal Judiciary, and the District of Columbia." Again, this likely underestimates the true cost. Let's jump back in time to 1997 to examine this. Rolling Stone ran a  detailed investigation headlined  "The Drug War: Where the Money Goes," putting the drug fighting figure at $16 billion back then. Where'd it all go? $2 billion to the Bureau of Prisons, plus $5 billion spent on state facilities and local jails largely housing drug offenders. $1.3 billion went to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Source