War on drugs

As part of the "War on drugs", the U.S. gives hundreds of millions of dollars per year of military aid to Colombia, used to combat guerrilla groups such as FARC, involved in narcotics trafficking. Colin Powell is seen here visiting Colombia in 2006 in support of Plan Colombia.

The War on drugs is a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, and the stated aim to define and reduce the illegal drug trade.^[4][5] This initiative includes a set of drug policies of the United States that are intended to discourage the production, distribution, and consumption of illegal psychoactive drugs. The term "War on Drugs" was first used by President Richard Nixon in 1971.

Major League Baseball

Alcohol

Cigarette smokers as a percentage of the population for the United States as compared with the Netherlands, Norway, Japan, and Finland

Alcohol access

A survey of over 6000 teenagers revealed:

• Teenagers and young adults typically get their alcohol from persons 21 or older. The second most common source for high school students is someone else under age 21, and the third most common source for 18- to 20-year-old adults is buying it from a store, bar or restaurant (despite the fact that such sales are against the law).
• In the 12th grade, boys were more likely than girls to buy alcohol from a store, bar or restaurant.
• Teenagers with higher weekly incomes are more likely to buy alcohol from a store, bar or restaurant.
• It is easy to get alcohol at a party and from siblings or others 21 or older.^[9]

How easy is it for youth to buy alcohol?

• When young females attempted to buy beer without an ID at liquor, grocery or convenience stores, 47–52% of the attempts, beer was sold (1, 2) and nearly 80% of all the stores sold beer to the buyers at least once in three attempts; nearly 25% sold beer all three times.(1)
• When young females attempted to buy beer without an ID at bars or restaurants, 50% of the attempts resulted in a sale to the buyer.(2)
• When young males and females attempted to buy beer without an ID at community festivals, 50% of the attempts resulted in a sale to the buyer.(3)^[9]

Of note:

• Prohibition in the United States
• Alcohol consumption by youth in the United States
• Alcohol-related traffic crashes in the United States

Cannabis

U.S. cannabis arrests by year^{[10][11][12][13]}

The use, sale, and possession of cannabis containing over 0.3% THC by dry weight in the United States, despite laws in many states permitting it under various circumstances, is illegal under federal law.^[14] As a Schedule I drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970, cannabis containing over 0.3% THC by dry weight (legal term marijuana) is considered to have "no accepted medical use" and a high potential for abuse and physical or psychological dependence.^[15]

• Legality of cannabis by U.S. jurisdiction
• Legalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
• Legal history of cannabis in the United States
• Medical cannabis in the United States
• Removal of cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act

Cocaine

A piece of compressed cocaine powder

Cocaine is the second most popular illegal recreational drug in the United States behind cannabis,^[16] and the U.S. is the world's largest consumer of cocaine.^[17]

In 2020, the state of Oregon became the first U.S. state to decriminalize cocaine.^[18][19] This new law prevents people with small amounts of cocaine from facing jail time. In 2020, the U.S. state of Oregon would also become the first state to decriminalize the use of heroin.^[20] This measure will allow people with small amounts to avoid arrest.^[21]

Psilocybe semilanceata,a psilocybin mushroom species sold in the U.S.^[22]

Methamphetamine

Psilocybin

In January 2019, the Oregon Psilocybin Society and research firm DHM Research found that 47 percent of Oregon voters supported the legalization of medical psilocybin, while 46 percent opposed it. The percentage of voters in favor increased to 64 percent after key elements of the ballot were clarified to the poll's participants.^[23]

An October 2019 online poll conducted by research firm Green Horizons found that 38 percent of U.S. adults supported legalizing psilocybin "under at least some circumstances."^[24]

In November 2020, a ballot measure to legalize medical psilocybin passed with 55.8% of voters in favor.^[25]

Tobacco

• History of commercial tobacco in the United States
• Cigarette taxes in the United States

Tobacco plants growing; in the United States

Statistics in 2018 estimated that about 14.9% of adults (18 and over) had ever used e-cigarettes, and around 3.2% of all adults in the United States were current e-cigarette users. These same stats also noted that 34 million U.S. adults were current smokers, with E-cigarette usage being highest among current smokers and former smokers who are attempting or have recently quit cigarettes.^[26]

Overall, it is estimated that 5.66 million adults in the US population reported current vaping 2.3%. From those users in the population, more than 2.21 million were current cigarette smokers (39.1%), more than 2.14 million were former smokers (37.9%), and more than 1.30 million were never smokers (23.1%).^[27]