Inside Story Americas: US War on Drugs - A Racist, Failed Policy?

August 23, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

Gil Kerlikowske, US President Barack Obama's drug czar, has said that America's war on drugs has not been successful and that "it's very clear we can't arrest our way out of this problem." But despite promises by the president to re-evaluate US drug policies, more than half of Obama's drug control budget continues to go towards law enforcement. And as the war on drugs rages in America's inner cities, the issue has not come up on the campaign trail with either President Obama or his Republican opponent, Mitt Romney. Inside Story Americas reports from the front line of the drug war in Baltimore, and discusses the issues with guests Deborah Small, Kevin Sabet, and Eric Sterling.

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War on Drugs

"War on Drugs" is a term commonly applied to a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, and the stated aim to define and reduce the illegal drug trade.... Explore this topic

Gil Kerlikowske

Richard Gil Kerlikowske is the current Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a position generally referred to as the United States "Drug Czar". He assumed office on May 7, 2009. Kerlikowske graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa and the Execu... Explore this topic

Drug czar

Drug Czar is an informal name for the person who directs drug-control propaganda in the United States, following the U.S. use of the 'czar' term. The 'drug czar' title was first published in a 1982 news story by United Press International which reported that “Senators... voted... Explore this topic

Baltimore

Baltimore is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maryland and the 24th largest city in the country. It is located in the central area of the state along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. The independent city is often referred to as Baltim... Explore this topic

Illegal drug trade

The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and sale of drugs, which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws. A UN... Explore this topic

Cocaine

Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" and the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic. Biologically, cocaine acts as a seroton... Explore this topic

Crack cocaine

Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, work, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is said to be the most addictive form of cocaine, although this has been contested. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smok... Explore this topic

Racism in the United States

Racism and ethnic discrimination in the United States has been a major issue since the colonial era and the slave era. Legally sanctioned racism imposed a heavy burden on Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latin Americans. European Americans were privile... Explore this topic

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have total or partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa. The term is not usually used for black residents of other countries in the Americas. African Americans make up the sing... Explore this topic

Poverty in the United States

In November 2012 the U.S. Census Bureau said more than 16% of the population lived in poverty in the United States, including almost 20% of American children, up from 14.3% in 2009 and to its highest level since 1993. In 2008, 13.2% Americans lived in poverty. In 2011, Extreme... Explore this topic

Also See

War on Drugs

Gil Kerlikowske

Drug czar