SOC127 Alcohol and Drugs Question #2 Final Exam
Why does there appear to be a misplaced emphasis on minorities? Are there specific federal drug laws that have targeted racial and ethnic minorities? What have been some of the short term and long-term consequences of these policies?
This is a very complex topic. There are several federal drugs laws that have affected groups of people throughout the country who choose to use drugs and while not mentioning specific groups of people in the laws. Again, people make the choice to use drugs based on a wide variety of socio-economic factors including where the live, who they associate with and how they were raised. I think the difference is what the law intends to be about and what people want the laws to be about. The laws are neutral, but the local populations might want them to say something else.
The Controlled Substances Act of 1970:
- This act placed cannabis under Schedule I, effectively outlawing all uses and setting the stage for the "War on Drugs".
- Some critics argue that the initial targeting of cannabis was based on racist motivations, impacting Latino and Black communities disproportionately who choose to use these drugs
The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986:
- This act established a 100:1 sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine.
- Because crack cocaine was more prevalent in Black communities and powder cocaine in white communities, this disparity resulted in significantly longer sentences for Black individuals convicted of drug offenses. Again, they choose to use the specific drugs.
Mandatory Minimum Sentencing:
- Mandatory minimum sentences, often enacted in conjunction with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, removed judicial discretion and imposed predetermined sentences based on drug type and quantity.
