The Racialized Foundations of the Unwinnable War on Drugs: A Historical Perspective

The War on Drugs: A Failed Policy Rooted in Racism

For 70 years, politicians from both parties have engaged in an unwinnable war on drugs. The latest chapter in this saga sees the Biden Administration identifying Mexican cartels as the top criminal threat facing the U.S. and proposing increased resources to prevent drugs from crossing the border. However, this approach has historically only exacerbated the issue. On the other hand, Republican presidential candidates are advocating for even more extreme measures, including invading Mexico and shooting suspected smugglers at the border.

This bipartisan consensus is built on racialized foundations, with policymakers targeting drug traffickers—often portrayed as foreigners and racial minorities. Meanwhile, white, middle-class drug users are typically seen as both criminals and victims, subjected to arrest and forced into treatment. This approach has led to a punitive and racially discriminatory system of mass incarceration, with over a trillion dollars spent on law enforcement and involuntary rehabilitation.

The truth, as stated by the Global Commission on Drug Policy in 2011, is that the drug war is unwinnable. Merely legalizing marijuana is not a sufficient solution. Instead, a complete reevaluation of drug policy is necessary, one that moves away from criminalization and focuses on true harm reduction, rather than coercive rehabilitation.

The roots of the modern drug war can be traced back to the 1950s, with liberal politicians leading the charge. Grassroots movements in white suburban communities pushed for action against drug suppliers, often portrayed as people of color. This led to the enactment of mandatory-minimum sentencing laws at the state and federal levels, targeting Black and Mexican American “pushers.”

The enforcement of these laws, however, ended up affecting white teenagers and young adults, who were often diverted to treatment programs rather than facing criminal charges. The focus on marijuana, in particular, aimed to protect white middle-class youths from the perceived dangers of drug use.

Throughout the decades, politicians on both sides of the aisle have shared similar goals of cracking down on suppliers and protecting victims, resulting in extreme racial disparities in enforcement. While liberal drug warriors advocated for more funding for treatment and rehabilitation in nonwhite communities, the discriminatory impact of drug laws persisted.

In recent years, there has been a growing acknowledgment of racial disparities in drug enforcement, with efforts to prioritize alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent drug offenders. The Biden Administration’s National Drug Control Strategy includes a commitment to advancing racial equity in drug-related arrests and sentencing.

However, true change will only come through a complete rethinking of drug policy, one that focuses on harm reduction and renounces criminalization. The failed policies of the past seven decades have cost taxpayers trillions and done little to reduce drug usage. It is time to move away from the failed war on drugs and towards a more effective and equitable approach to drug policy.