ENG 122
March 11, 2012

How Drug Trafficking Effects the United States

Drug trafficking in the United States has established itself to be one of the most profitable businesses in today’s world (U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, 2004). There is such a high demand as more people buy, use and sell drugs for a variety of reasons, not really knowing all the risk that are at stake. With new laws in affect and more determined citizens of the U.S. everyone can help keep the streets clean. Drug trafficking is at an all-time high and must be brought to a halt.

The country’s borders make the most important part in the process of reducing drug trafficking in the U.S. Drug law enforcement agencies face enormous challenges when it comes to
Trafficking laws and punishments are found and served according to the drug type, the quantity seized, the location of the distribution and whether minors were sold to or targeted. Drug trafficking laws can implicate a single individual or groups involving rings of people participating in organized illegal drug activity (US Drug Enforcement Agency, 2004). There have been several new laws put into place because of the trafficking throughout the country, such as the Boggs Amendment to the Harrison Narcotic Act, 1951. This law implies that criminals do mandatory sentences for narcotic violations (Robert Keel, 2010). Legislatures throughout the country adopted harsher sentencing laws in regard to drug offenses, but there are several things that determine your outcome when being sentenced for narcotics. It mostly depends on the drug and schedule, if you have any prior offenses and what they are, and the quantity of drugs that you are caught with. Some states are more lenient depending on the drug but each situation varies depending on the charge. These laws that have been put into play have not been all too successful in putting an end to the drug ring but however, it has decreased some criminal violence and activity. Law enforcement agencies and courts play an increasing role in crime control.