The Unintended Consequences of Drug Policies

• In Event: Poster Session I

Abstract

Despite more than 100 years of policies directed against illicit drugs, “victory” in the war on drugs seems elusive. Efforts to control illicit drugs must overcome two powerful forces. First, the forces of prohibition are overmatched by the law of supply and demand. Second, drug prohibition works against the desire of human beings to seek pleasure and to alter their consciousness. These two forces have combined to provide a rich source of unintended consequences resulting from efforts to restrict drug consumption. Identifying those unintended consequences can provide a cautionary tale for the development of future drug policies.

Author

• Ralph Albert Weisheit, Illinois State University