Brave Protection

President Nixon first used the term “War on Drugs” on June 17, 1971. The term refers to the United States campaign of prohibition against all scheduled drugs. Drugs were of course made illegal at certain times before this point but this was the first umbrella term used to describe and brand the effort. Partially responsible for this reaction by the United States government was the increased rate of soldiers returning from Vietnam as heroin addicts. In 1973 the DEA was formed. Previously drug issues were handled by the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.You can find a quick rundown here

Despite the disaster that was prohibition, and the escalating cost to the taxpayer, the war on drugs continues. This is due to several reasons. The first is that it is difficult for non drug users to imagine a world accepting of drugs not already legal, keeping in mind of course most people do not use drugs, and certainly not with any regularity. This alone makes an alternative to prohibition difficult, which is compounded by the demonization of drugs, for right or wrong. In the end, addicts will remain addicts, their urge stronger than any law, and no taxation of an already used substance seems needlessly counterproductive.