From Prohibition to Prescription: Exploring Injustice, Bias, and Science-Based Solutions

The war on drugs has disproportionately harmed minority communities and prioritized systemic exploitation over public health. The DEA's drug scheduling process is politically influenced and ignores evidence of medical benefits from substances like cannabis, psilocybin, LSD, DMT, and MDMA. US drug policy evolved to contribute to mass incarceration, reinforce racial disparities, and fail to reduce overdose deaths. Decriminalizing and regulating psychedelics could treat PTSD, depression, and substance abuse disorder. Evidence-based drug policy reform is needed, including changes to the DEA's scheduling process and greater transparency in decision-making.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This thesis critiques the war on drugs for disproportionately targeting minority communities and prioritizing systemic exploitation over public health. It examines the flawed, politically influenced DEA drug scheduling process, which neglects evidence of the medical benefits of substances like cannabis, psilocybin, LSD, DMT, and MDMA. This thesis gives a brief history of the evolution of US drug policy, which contributed to mass incarceration, reinforced racial disparities, and failed to reduce overdose deaths. It also highlights the potential mental health benefits of decriminalizing and regulating psychedelics to treat conditions like PTSD, depression, and substance abuse disorder. This thesis concludes by promoting the need for evidence-based drug policy reform. It suggests changes to the DEA's scheduling process and emphasizes the importance of transparency in decision-making.