Hoover InstitutionStanford University
Federal Drug Policy: A Constant Failure

Published: April 08, 2021

Federal drug policy has changed very little over the years. Its focus remains one of criminalization of all aspects of drug policy. Yet drugs are still readily available and crime rates remain high. After 40 years of concentrating on an approach that has been unsuccessful, we should be willing to take a look at other ways of working to solve this pressing problem.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why is the current drug policy so ineffective?
  2. What would make a drug policy effective?

Additional Resources

  • Watch “The Drug War as a Socialist Enterprise,” with Milton Friedman. Available here.
  • Read “A Real Debate About Drug Policy” by George P. Shultz and Paul Volcker. Available here.
  • Listen to Robin Feldman on Drug Patents, Generics, and Drug Wars. Available here.

Cast

Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman

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