War on Drugs a Failure, Americans Say

By William J. Cromie

Gazette Staff

Most Americans believe that the "War on Drugs" has been unsuccessful, but they do not want to give up fighting it, according to a study by Harvard researchers.

"The majority of Americans do not see the nation's illegal drug problem getting any better after years of increases in national spending," says Robert Blendon, professor of health policy and political analysis in both the School of Public Health and the Kennedy School of Government. "Despite this assessment, they continue to support greater resources being expended."

Expenditures have now reached $27 billion annually, according to the study, published in yesterday's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Most of those polled in 47 national surveys conducted between 1978 and 1997 say they are willing to pay more in taxes for antidrug efforts. When choosing from options for reducing use and effects of illegal drugs, more severe penalties for drug sale and possession receives the largest vote. The second choice is antidrug education in schools; next is increased funding for police.

A major reason for this willingness to spend more is the belief that drugs are one of the most important causes of crime.

Very few people support the legalization of drugs. In fact, the majority thinks that drug-related crime would increase if drugs were legalized.

One exception is the legalized use of marijuana for medical purposes. "In early 1997, two surveys reported that 60 percent of the American public supported a policy whereby physicians should be able to prescribe marijuana to their seriously and terminally ill patients," Blendon notes.

Among other findings, 73 percent of the public see drug use as changing the national character, and about the same majority of adults are concerned about the possibility of themselves or a family member becoming a victim of a crime committed by a drug user.

Most (81 percent) claim, however, that drug abuse has not caused problems in their own families. Although 82 percent of those surveyed think illegal drug use is a big problem for society, only 27 percent say it's a major problem in their local communities.

As to why young people begin using drugs, most Americans blame peer pressure, poor parenting, or drug dealers trying to make more money.

Blendon and report co-author John T. Young also note that more than 500,000 drug-related episodes are reported by hospital emergency rooms, and illegal drugs lead to about 11,000 deaths a year.