The "Drug War" Tide is Changing

By Spike Bradford

A story on NPR’s "Morning Edition" today, examined the lasting negative consequences of the Rockefeller Drug Laws of 1973. These laws, as well as President Nixon’s “war on drugs” and a growing public and political perception of a drug-crime epidemic were the main contributors to our current 2 million-plus prison population; the highest in the world. 

According to the story, non-violent drug offenders “make up 48 percent of the inmate population in federal prisons,” thanks to these lingering failed policies. Luckily, the tide is changing, as evidenced by the NPR story and others like it.

Background on Rockefeller as told by NPR: New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller had been a champion of drug rehabilitation, job training and housing. Then, he did a dramatic about-face and backed strict sentences for low-level criminals. Click here to listen to the NPR broadcast.

For more information on the "war on drugs" and JPI's take on U.S. drug policy, click here.