One of the biggest problems America faces today is that almost all forms of illicit drug use is associated with other forms of criminality. There are a number of illicit drugs throughout America. In 2009, there were about 9.2 million users of illicit drugs (Public Order and Drug Crimes, 2012, p. 335). Marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and LSD are amongst the most popular sold and consumed by people. Drugs not only can be addictive and have lasting physical and mental effects on someone, but it can be extremely costly. The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) estimated that in 2000 alone, $64.8 billion was spent to purchase illegal drugs (Public Order and Drug Crimes, 2012, p. 338). The ONDCP’s mission is to establish policies, priorities for the nation’s drug problem. The highest rate of drug users is usually between the age of 18-25 years old. Substance abuse is in correlation with educational and career status. In 1975, 55% of people had used illicit drugs by the time they had left high school (Public Order and Drug Crimes, 2012). Also, men have a high rate of using illicit drugs compared to women. African Americans are having a higher rate of using drugs, coming in at 9.6% than whites, who are 8.8% use drugs (Public Order and Drug Crimes, 2012). Drug use is correlated to drug crimes. It’s believed that drug users report a greater involvement in crime than non-drug users, it’s more common for people with criminal records to abuse drugs than people with no criminal record, and crimes can rise when drug use increases. An average year for health cost for illegal drug users can reach $ 2.2 million. The centers for diseases control and prevention report 19,698 death are drug related deaths in America. Marijuana is used 77% more than any other drug (Public Order and Drug Crimes, 2012). It is the most widely used illicit drug. Marijuana is also referred to as dope, weed, herb, and grass. It can be smoked out of a blunt, joint, or bowl. It’s usually smoked but can also be used in baked items. It’s it claimed that it can be a fairly easy drug to obtain and can be cheap. Marijuana is not identified as being an addictive drug but it is a gateway drug. That means it can lead people into trying other stronger drugs for a more intensified high. Marijuana has a high level of THC which is the cause for the mental and body high a person might get when using it. Its estimated around 58% of drug users would only use marijuana as their choice of drug (Public Order and Drug Crimes, 2012, p. 335). Marijuana can have some effects on your body after long use. It can create lung irritation, a cough, accelerated heartbeat, memory problems, troubles for the immature brain (especially users
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Mr. Big is a strategy that deals with drug trafficking and use. Its principal operational objective is to reach high levels of the drug distribution system (Moore & Kleiman, 1989). They may use informants, wiretaps, or undercover cops to obtain information and try to cease the distribution and use. The DEA also created a program that identifies the geographic source of a heroin sample. They follow heroin by taking the samples they seize to a lab for testing. They then look to detect certain chemical characteristics to help identify what country or area the heroin is coming from. From this program they have learned that 62% of heroin comes from South America, 17% in Southeast Asia, 16% in Southwest Asia, and 5% in Mexico (Moore & Kleiman, …show more content…
Unfortunately, in 2006, 1.9 million people were arrested for drug law violations in the United States (Public Order and Drug Crimes, 2012). When roughly there were about 300 million people in the United States. Federal agents seized about 322,438 kilograms of marijuana, 69,826 kilograms of cocaine, and 805 kilograms of heroin in 2006 (Gettman, 2007). Interdiction was formed, which is an international drug control policy aimed at stopping drugs from entering the country illegally. The government’s control budget in 2008 was estimated around $12.961 billion billions of dollars are being spent to stop and control our countries drug issues, but terrifyingly the issues are just
Mr. Big is a strategy that deals with drug trafficking and use. Its principal operational objective is to reach high levels of the drug distribution system (Moore & Kleiman, 1989). They may use informants, wiretaps, or undercover cops to obtain information and try to cease the distribution and use. The DEA also created a program that identifies the geographic source of a heroin sample. They follow heroin by taking the samples they seize to a lab for testing. They then look to detect certain chemical characteristics to help identify what country or area the heroin is coming from. From this program they have learned that 62% of heroin comes from South America, 17% in Southeast Asia, 16% in Southwest Asia, and 5% in Mexico (Moore & Kleiman, …show more content…
Unfortunately, in 2006, 1.9 million people were arrested for drug law violations in the United States (Public Order and Drug Crimes, 2012). When roughly there were about 300 million people in the United States. Federal agents seized about 322,438 kilograms of marijuana, 69,826 kilograms of cocaine, and 805 kilograms of heroin in 2006 (Gettman, 2007). Interdiction was formed, which is an international drug control policy aimed at stopping drugs from entering the country illegally. The government’s control budget in 2008 was estimated around $12.961 billion billions of dollars are being spent to stop and control our countries drug issues, but terrifyingly the issues are just