How is the war on drugs changing, primarily with marijuana and prescription drug abuse?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The social and political opinion of marijuana is changing, as evidenced by legalization or decriminalization in a number of states. Such modifications in law and attitude represent a significant “chink in the armor” of the nation’s drug laws. Public support around the world for legalizing adult use of marijuana has also been increasing. Opponents, however, argue that marijuana legalization can serve as a stepping-stone to harder drugs, result in people driving while “stoned” and thus pose a danger, increase the chances of the drug being used by kids, cause physical damage to users, and lead to the possible legalization of harder drugs.

A problem that is expanding and increasingly confronting our society and its criminal justice system is prescription drug abuse, specifically, the abuse of prescription painkillers. About 50 Americans per day, more than 17,000 per year in total—die from prescription-opioid overdoses. As a result, the DEA has fined or revoked pharmaceutical licenses for allowing opioids to be possessed by criminals or for lax oversight of opioids. In addition, the Federal Drug Quality and Security Act (2013) was signed into law. The Act establishes a system to track prescription drugs from the time they are manufactured until they are sold to the consumer. The Act calls for drug manufacturers, re-packagers, wholesale distributors, and dispensers to maintain and to issue key information about each drug’s distribution history.