With Barack Obama’s second presidential term coming to a close, it’s important to look back at both the successes and shortcomings of the Obama administration’s drug policy. Hopefully we can learn something from his time in office in regards to what went right in the administration’s approach to drug use, as well as what could be improved upon. Obama dealt with a great deal during his presidency in regards to drug regulation and legalization; the Mexican drug cartels, the legalization of marijuana, and an increasing incarceration rate all characterized drug policy during the Obama administration’s time in office.

• “The US can focus on drug treatment and prevention, and helping people deal with addiction, making sure that young people are not getting hooked on drugs. If we can reduce demand, that means less cash flowing into these drug cartels.”

The drug cartels in Mexico were a point of heated debate in the 2008 presidential race. Then more than ever, drugs were flowing north over the border and guns and funding were flowing south. Obama helped to put an end to policies like Fast & Furious that were helping to arm cartels while simultaneously focusing on funding aid and treatment for those already addicted to substances. While the Mexican cartels have seen slight losses in recent years, they are still a serious problem for both Mexicans and Americans alike.

• “The conventional wisdom is that most unemployed inner-city men could find jobs if they really wanted to work; that they inevitably prefer drug dealing…the costs and benefits of the street life don’t match the popular mythology. Drug dealing is a minimum-wage affair…what prevents gainful employment is not simply the absence of motivation to get off the streets but the absence of a job history or any marketable skills – and, increasingly, the stigma of a prison record.”

Obama wrote in his memoir The Audacity of Hope about how drugs are a key factor in inner-city poverty and imprisonment. During his presidency, Obama signed into law a great deal of legislation to help curb illegal drug use, especially in the poorest parts of America. Obama also attempted to raise the minimum wage, in part to combat drug dealing, and was somewhat successful. Now part of the 2016 democratic platform, candidates like Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton both championed the idea of a $15 minimum wage.

• “Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it.”

While some viewed Obama admitting to drug use as political suicide, it turned out that this admission led many voters to sympathize and identify with the stressed and confused teenager Barack Obama had once been. While it’s doubtful that Obama was the first president to ever use drugs, he was indeed the first to admit to it and continue to be open and honest about his past with substance use. Not only did this help his public image, but more importantly, it helped to destigmatize drug use in America. Obama’s honesty made it clear that even the president could fall victim to drugs.

Obama’s presidency may not carry the legacy of championing against drug abuse, the cartels, or legalization, but that’s not to say progress wasn’t made. The cartels were hindered, Colorado legalized marijuana, and drug culture in America adopted the idea that even the president of the United States of America, the so-called most powerful man in the world, was far from immune to substance use disorder.

Sources

Wilson, John. The Improbable Quest. p. 12-13, Oct 30, 2007

Obama, Barack. The Audacity of Hope. p.257-259. Oct 1, 2006

Obama-Romney interviews by Univision Noticias, Sep 19, 2012