The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was established in 1973 as a part of the War on Drugs, with the goal of reducing drug use and drug-related crime in the United States. However, decades later, the DEA’s approach to drug policy has proven to be ineffective, harmful, and costly. The high cost of enforcement and incarceration, racial disparities in drug arrests and sentencing, and the use of excessive force in drug raids are just a few of the problems associated with the DEA’s enforcement-focused approach. In this article, we will explore alternatives to the DEA and make the case for defunding and abolishing the agency.
