Many currently illegal drugs, such as marijuana, opium, cocaine, and hallucinogens, have been used for thousands of years for medical, personal, and spiritual purposes . In the 1960s, drugs became a symbol of rebellion, social disorder and political conflict. Why are some drugs legal and others illegal today? This is not based on any scientific calculation or research into the relative risks of these drugs – but it has everything to do with who and what is associated with these drugs. The War on Drugs imposes harsh mandatory minimum sentences and is the cause of most of our high incarceration rates, which have led to high recidivism and community deterioration (“A Brief History of the Drug War,” nd). Historically, President Nixon declared a "war on drugs" in June 1971. The size and presence of federal drug control agencies has increased significantly. Nixon pushed through measures such as mandatory sentencing and no-knock warrants. Pending review by a commission he appointed, Nixon temporarily listed marijuana as a drug in the most restrictive drug category: Schedule 1. In 1972, that commission unanimously recommended decriminalizing possession and distribution of marijuana for personal use. However, Nixon ignored the report and rejected the commission's recommendations (n.d.). Subsequently, eleven states decriminalized marijuana possession between 1973 and 1977. In October 1977, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to decriminalize the possession of one ounce of marijuana for personal use. to use. However, the trend has reversed again in just a few years. Proposals to decriminalize marijuana were abandoned due to parents' growing concern about high rates of marijuana use among teens...... middle of paper ......y minimums, prisoners considered "victims" of the War on Drugs today occupies about 30 percent of our prison population. Due to our high incarceration rates, fewer funds are spent on prisoner rehabilitation. Without rehabilitation, prisoners will return to a life of drugs, which means more crime, more victims and more pressure on the criminal justice system. This takes away from the neighborhood the positive aspects that would otherwise have a positive influence on the surrounding community. Due to the crimes committed in this area, the community is deteriorating. This results in the development and attraction of more drug-related crimes to this region. Progress is inevitably slow, but there is currently a unique movement behind drug policy reform. Our nation should seek to find drug policies that are shaped by scientific research rather than politics..