The presence of illicit drugs is part of American society. "The United States has 5 percent of the world's population but consumes 60 percent of its illicit drugs" (Eldredge xi-xii). The War on Drugs has failed.
However, many people including politicians and law enforcement agents believe that the War on Drugs is justified. When whiskey was first widely used by Northern Europeans, they drank whiskey regularly. However, they slowed the drinking when the health effects and societal effects were recognized (Moynihan 147). Many politicians believe that drug users intoxicate themselves because they are unaware of the effects that the substances yield. "When a person does not realize the consequences of an action, it is reasonable to warn him, and perhaps to physically prevent him from undertaking it. Most smokers of marijuana have very little understanding of the likely consequences of taking the drug. It would seem quite appropriate to embark on a program of education, particularly in schools, to reduce this ignorance" (Butler 139). Prohibitionists believe that illegal drugs are illegal because they are harmful. The purpose of law enforcement is to set standards for people and to help them conform to society. "If [drugs] were to be legalized, making it available at the corner drugstore, it would confirm the general believe that marijuana was fairly harmless" (Butler 141). However, millions of Americans harm themselves by deliberately choosing certain lifestyles, most of which are legal, such as overeating, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, or not exercising sufficiently. If all harmful activities became illicit, hang-gliding, bungee-jumping, and hundreds of other activities would be illegal. While most prohibitionists fear that legalization will cause drugs to circulate more freely, the present availability of drugs is so widespread that users rarely feel that they are unable to find them.
