Over the years, countries have made drugs illegal for a variety of reasons: to combat a perceived moral or health epidemic, to target certain groups of people, or to reflect reasons religious influences. Even when some drugs pose no significant health risks, governments ban them. Although there are many drugs that are harmful to health if abused, drug policies around the world, particularly in the United States, are inconsistent and oppressive. Drug laws are supposed to be created for the good of society, but drug prohibition only serves to cause problems, violence and disorder. Starting from a historical perspective, we can see that past attempts to ban substances were often motivated by discrimination and racism. Drug Prohibition: A Call for Change reminds us that “The history of drug prohibition in Australia and elsewhere is shrouded in ignorance, bigotry, racial prejudice and false assumptions” (Wodak and Owens, 11). Attempts to control drug use are more careful attempts to try to control sectors of the population, those who are perceived as drug users. In the 1930s, Southwestern states began passing laws to ban marijuana, fearing that the influx of Mexican immigrants (who brought their Mexican cannabis with them) would take away jobs during the Great Depression. Marijuana laws provided an excuse to arrest immigrants and keep them unemployed. Other examples of drug laws with motivations like these stretch far and wide into most countries with similar laws. The prohibition of substances places them in the realm of criminal influence. Illegal substances are not regulated by the government and become prime candidates for sale by organized crime. The drug cartel thrives and creates incredible… middle of paper… domination of citizens by invasive laws are just some of the benefits that changing drug policy can bring. Enabling people to be freer, and not the other way around, is paving the way to a bright future. Works Cited Lynch, Timothy. After Prohibition: An Adult Approach to Drug Policy in the 21st Century. Washington, DC: CATO, 2000. Print.New York County Bar Association. Drug Policy Task Force Report and Recommendations. Rep. October 1996. Web. November 14, 2010. “Sinaloa Cartel: “Narcotics” Responsible for 84% of Murders. Borderland Beat. October 31, 2010. Web. November 14, 2010. Wodak, Alex and Ron Owens Drug Prohibition: A Call for Change. Sydney: University of New South Wales, 1996. Google Books. 14 November. 2010.