Question

In POLS Public Policy class :
what theory best explains what many people call a "failed drug war" policy for 40 years?

Answer 1

The theory used to explain the "failed drug war" policy that the US has been fighting for over 40 years is the Balloon theory.

Balloon theory:

The Balloon theory is a theory that suggests that the pressure applied to a plastic balloon filled with air causes the displacement of air in that region to shift to the area where there is no pressure. Releasing the applied pressure to the region brings back the displaced air to its original position.

Application of the Balloon theory to the policy of the US on drugs:

The country that has been an example of resistance like the balloon theory is Colombia which has been trafficking drugs for decades. The policies of the US, strict or lenient hasn't had any impact on the overall volume of drugs trafficked. Many efforts have been made by the United States Presidents in the past but in vain.

One example of this is the efforts of President Bill Clinton in 2000 to mitigate the export of drugs by formulating a $1.3 billion proposal to Colombia. This proposal of Clinton didn't alter the export of the drugs in any way. In addition to efforts like this, the country has been subject to strict laws to make a significant impact on the war on drugs.

However, the drug operations, like the balloon theory, shift their operations to an area with no applied pressure or with regulations that are very lenient. They continue to operate from there till laws are imposed there. And then they move back to the original location of operation once the laws and regulations have become less strict. Thus demonstrating how the balloon theory fits in this scenario.