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Another Lost War: The Costs and Consequences of Drug Prohibition

William Chambliss critiques the current War on Drugs. This “war,” supported by Clinton almost as vigorously as by Reagan and Bush, has criminalized an entire generation of young minority men and women, institutionalized racism in criminal justice practices, and created widespread corruption in politics and law enforcement. When former U.S. Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders suggested that the government look at the experience of other countries that had decriminalized drugs, the Clinton White House quickly and forcefully rejected the idea out of hand. Chambliss asks why the administration refused to even consider Elder’s suggestion, and analyzes the political, economic, and social changes in the U.S. that have made what appears to be an irrational drug policy quite rational from the perspective of certain groups in power.

drug policy [controlled substances], drug abuse and addiction, drugs, decriminalization of, clinton administration, racism, corruption in government, crime and politics

Citation: Social Justice Vol. 22, No. 2 (1995): 101-124