"U.S Spies on Millions of Drivers"

Drug Enforcement

            The article that I read was taken from the Wall Street Journal called, “U.S Spies on Millions of Drivers.” While reading this article I was very shocked about the information that I was being presented with. I had no idea that the Justice Department along with the DEA were going to such depths to combat the drug problem in the U.S. In 2008, the Justice Department initiated a program that collected vehicles whereabouts in real time and filed it in a national database. The program first used cameras on major highways along the U.S-Mexico border since most drugs were coming from there. It then, over the years expanded throughout the U.S. The main goal of the licensing-plate program was to gather cars, cash and other things related to crime in order to reduce our countries drug problem. The data base can be accessed by federal, state, and local government officials as a way to keep everyone on the same page to take/make necessary moves. The DEA said that “98 kilograms of cocaine have been gathered, 8,336 kilograms of marijuana and about 866,380 dollars in 2010. The program is no longer only used in combating drug trafficking but is also being used in other crimes like rape, kidnappings and murder.

            Another type of surveillance or drug enforcement method talked about in the article was the phone surveillance by the U.S Marshall's who used planes with devices like cell phone towers that scan and collected information about individuals calling foreign countries as potential suspects. These two methods used in the process of drug enforcement has been very controversial among many American’s and politicians regarding the abundance of information collected about innocent individuals while searching for criminals. I personally think that such precautions are needed and can be very helpful in combating the huge drug problem that is affecting many lives. In respect to the amount of lives lost to drugs in this country I think that we as citizens can give up certain freedoms like being on surveillance for the safety of others.

            In class we have learnt about the negative effects of marijuana, cocaine and other drugs that individuals are using and becoming addicted to. We have learned that individuals have certain physical and psychological dependence to these drugs and its use can lead to irrational thoughts and behaviors. Both marijuana and cocaine are the two most common drugs that are smuggled into the Unites States from Mexico according to the DEA. Most of the drugs are illegal, therefore are harder to find and use. This is important because our citizens are the individuals being negatively affected by the drugs harmful side-effects.  Drugs are a great concern in our country and as learned mandatory minimums are placed for those carrying certain amounts of drugs. By tracking large potential drug dealers by using this license – plate program the DEA along with other agencies can go out and arrest both the dealers and buyers in order to combat this drug epidemic. This program allows us to see the real time location and activities of the drug personnel that can also verify their identity and can ensure their arrest.

As learned in class, marijuana and other drugs become more potent as the years go on and higher potency means higher addiction and abuse rates. With marijuana being a schedule one drug, possessing it alone is dangerous more so is the distributions and production of it. I think that it is very important for our governmental enforcement agencies to do whatever they have to in order to keep our country safe. There are many illegal activities and involvement that comes with smuggling drugs into the country that our border patrol may not be able to find. I think that having a national data base that all levels of governmental agencies can access is very critical in finding and arresting massive drug dealers. Our drug problem is something that our country is trying to deal with from the inside and we do not need outsiders missing this positive change that can be seen.

Just like the coast guard on the waters, our license – plate program allows us to view and keep track of what is going on inside our borders. As learned in class, since the Nixon Era our country has been at war with drugs, I do not think that it is time to quit just yet because our country has a long way to recovery. There is obviously still a huge demand for all types of drugs but it we have to try to recover damaged lives that have been plagued by addiction. Now that we have such a system in place to enforce our drug policies, I think that we must pay more attention to those citizens that are already affected by the problem.

Our society is becoming more and more impacted by drugs every day. Each of us probably knows someone or have heard close stories of someone who either uses or has been affected in some way by drugs. Our prisons populations are becoming over bearing with drug arrests and I do not think that this should be the case. Yes drugs are bad and are impacting the lives of ever day individuals but there are more serious crimes that I think call for prison time. Drugs are substances that I know individuals can do without and because of this I think that it is important that over government fight for the elimination of the problem because I do not see it getting better. If left un-touch then, the country would soon have a problem that they are unable to recover from. I think that the license-plate program is a great idea and should be kept in place to combat drug problems in the United States.

Article Link: http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-spies-on-millions-of-cars-1422314779