Is the war on drugs helping?
Sophia Aguilar
Published May 18, 2026
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Besides, what did the war on drugs accomplish?
The War on Drugs is a phrase used to refer to a government-led initiative that aims to stop illegal drug use, distribution and trade by dramatically increasing prison sentences for both drug dealers and users. The movement started in the 1970s and is still evolving today.
Secondly, how did the war on drugs start? The War on Drugs began in June 1971 when U.S. Pres. Richard Nixon declared drug abuse to be “public enemy number one” and increased federal funding for drug-control agencies and drug-treatment efforts.
Also to know is, how did the war on drugs affect the rate of incarceration?
Booker said the 40-year war on drugs led to "a 500 percent increase in incarceration in our country, disproportionately affecting poor and disproportionately affecting minorities." Booker has his numbers right, looking at incarcerated population growth over the past 40 years.
How much money has been spent on the war on drugs since 1971?
Since 1971, the war on drugs has cost the United States an estimated $1 trillion. In 2015, the federal government spent an estimated $9.2 million every day to incarcerate people charged with drug-related offenses—that's more than $3.3 billion annually.
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