What has the US accomplished in 50 years of the 'war on drugs' amidst Trump's threats?

In the summer of 1971, US President Richard Nixon labelled drug abuse as public enemy number one, marking the beginning of the nations infamous war on drugs. The initiative aimed to purge the streets of illegal substances, dismantle trafficking networks, and create a safer environment for citizens. However, over the past 50 years, the approachdominated by strict policing and militarized crackdownshas coincided with record overdose fatalities, one of the worlds highest incarceration rates, and more than $1 trillion spent, with little evidence of reducing drug availability or demand, according to the Center for American Progress.

Domestically, the war on drugs reshaped policing and the justice system, disproportionately incarcerating Black Americans. Internationally, US-backed operations across Latin America intensified corruption and organized crime. Currently, overdose deaths, particularly from fentanyl, are at unprecedented levels, while many US states have begun legalizing cannabis. Amid these developments, the Trump administration has signaled potential military action against Venezuela, alleging it fuels narcotics traffickinga claim not substantiated by public evidence.

Origins and Evolution

Nixon introduced the drug war during a politically turbulent era, following rising heroin use among Vietnam veterans, increased drug experimentation among youth, and widespread antiwar activism. His administration established new federal agencies, imposed harsher penalties, and framed drug use as a threat to national stability. According to later revelations by Nixon aide John Ehrlichman, the policy also aimed to target the antiwar left and Black communities by criminalizing marijuana and heroin use in these groups, disrupting their social and political influence.

The campaign escalated under President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. The Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 increased sentences for marijuana possession. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 introduced mandatory minimums, creating extreme disparities between punishments for crack and powder cocaine. This contributed to a dramatic rise in Black incarceration rates, which grew fivefold from 50 to 250 per 100,000.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, successive administrations continued these policies. The 1994 crime bill under Bill Clinton expanded prison funding, encouraged aggressive policing, and introduced a three-strikes rule mandating life sentences for repeat violent offenders. Minor adjustments occurred under Bush and Obama, but the fundamental punitive approach persisted. Only in the 2010s, with the expansion of cannabis legalization and the opioid crisis, did the conversation begin shifting toward public health perspectives.

Recent US Actions and Domestic Impact

Under Trump, domestic drug policies largely remain unchanged, but the administration has increased military actions in the region. Recent strikes in the Caribbean near Venezuelan waters have been framed as targeting narco-trafficking, though critics argue these may serve broader political goals. Evidence supporting claims that targeted vessels were transporting drugs to the US has not been publicly provided.

Drug criminalization has driven mass incarceration in the US. Peak annual drug arrests reached 1.6 million, predominantly for possession, raising the prison population from 300,000 in the early 1970s to over two million four decades later. Black Americans have faced disproportionate arrests: although representing less than 15% of the population, they account for over a quarter of drug arrests and are 3.7 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana possession. Sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine have heavily contributed to this racial imbalance.

Efforts to link drug enforcement to crime reduction largely failed. Homicide rates increased following Reagans 1984 crime legislation and continued rising until 1991. Investment in treatment and mental health lagged behind enforcement, and by 2020, over 1.1 million drug-related arrests occurred, mainly for possession. Today, the US faces its deadliest drug crisis, with more than 100,000 overdose deaths annually, primarily from synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Overdose has become the leading cause of death for Americans aged 1844.

Impact Across Latin America

The war on drugs extended far beyond US borders. In the 1980s, Washington funded and trained Latin American militaries and police to combat trafficking at its source. In Colombia, the US invested over $10 billion under Plan Colombia, targeting coca crops and armed groups. While the state weakened some insurgencies, coca cultivation resurged, and an estimated 450,000 civilians were killed between 1985 and 2018.

In Mexico, a 2006 government offensive, supported by US intelligence and equipment, triggered cartel fragmentation, violent turf wars, and extensive corruption. More than 460,000 people have been killed, and tens of thousands remain missing. Trafficking routes shifted to Central American countries including Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

US military operations targeting alleged traffickers continue, with at least 21 strikes on suspected drug vessels since September 2 in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in over 83 reported deaths. The enduring pattern underscores that half a century of militarized drug policy has led to widespread human costs without resolving the underlying crisis.

Author: Caleb Jennings