PANCHARIYA: Public health or police: What does US prioritize?
Column: Moment of Truth
In the U.S., drug use is becoming a more prominent activity with each day that passes. During former U.S. President Richard Nixon's presidency, public health took the lead for a brief period of time, during which funding was used for clinics to create programs for citizens, such as 12-step programs, which are mutual aid programs that support individuals recovering from substance addictions.
But shortly after, funding was removed from public health and given to law enforcement agencies, seemingly enforcing a tougher regime over society. And through this rich history of the war on drugs, it is safe to say we are continuously getting further away from a permanent solution, diminishing hopes of ever finding one.
As we venture into the present day, drug use and addiction have continued to skyrocket. In response, President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s administration has used the Office of National Drug Control Policy to dedicate more funding to treat those who struggle with addiction rather than fixating on the criminal aspect of drug use.
But as the government's focus over the past few decades has shifted between public health initiatives and the increased involvement of law enforcement, there really has not been an effective means of truly bringing this war to an end. When investing in public health and clinics was the leading solution in the war on drugs, outcomes showed a generally positive change. Still, though, there are times when the "tough on crime" mindset becomes a priority, resulting in increased funding for policing.
A huge aspect of why this war on drugs has prevailed is due to the lack of treatment plans available to the general public, and when medical care becomes scarce, the criminal justice system steps in and takes over. Through all these "efforts" to stop addiction, the only booming business or system profiting is the prison system.
Simply arresting individuals has become such an easy way to make the problem disappear — temporarily, of course, because rehabilitation cannot be actively implemented. Not to mention, when people actually try to get help, waitlists for prison rehabilitation centers and drug addiction programs can last months.
How can any true progress be made in a system that picks and chooses who gets care?
The racial divide and its role in this conflict have also been recurring problems. Targets of the criminal justice system and law enforcement have mainly consisted of people of color or impoverished individuals. This is public knowledge and needs to be finally addressed.
But with this racial divide, it is evident that the chances of getting help diminish even more. Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, expressed in The Washington Post how drug possession alone is "the No. 1 opportunity for law enforcement harassment, assault and even killings of Black, Latinx and indigenous people to occur."
Rather than using the system for the safety of the public and various communities across the country, it becomes a battle of racial injustice. Communities of color inevitably become statistics, demonstrating the disparities within our system.
For example, Black people are five times more likely than white people to be arrested on drug charges. As a society, we get further and further from an actual solution to ending this war on drugs, and we have become desensitized to these startling statistics that pop up on our screens or in the news articles we read that illustrate the damage of drugs and the perpetuation of inequality.
The more we steer away from effective solutions involving public health and treatment plans, the more we succumb to the idea that law enforcement is meant to handle the war on drugs. In the past, funding once went to public health, and it is vital that we remember this.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy has the power to step in and do better. It must build a system from the ground up and reinforce counseling and public health institutions.
This has been the only effective method proven thus far to create somewhat positive change for Americans. A myriad of injustices arose with the problem of the war on drugs, but as these issues continue to exist, we need to pave the way for a better future.
Priya Panchariya is a School of Arts and Sciences first-year majoring in philosophy and minoring in criminology. Her column, "Moment of Truth," runs on alternate Tuesdays.
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