The drug ban has also led to an increase in violence and murders around the world. Gangs and cartels do not have access to legal systems to resolve disputes, so they resort to violence. This led to an ever-increasing spiral of brutality. By some estimates, the homicide rate in the United States is now 25 to 75 percent higher due to the war on drugs. And worse, in Mexico, an estimated 164,000 people were murdered between 2007 and 2014. More people than in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq during the same period combined. But where the war on drugs appears to do the most damage to society is the scandalous incarceration of non-violent drug offenders. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay The United States, one of the driving forces behind the war on drugs, accounts for 5% of the world's total population, but are home to 25% of the world's population. the world's prison population, largely due to harsh sentencing and mandatory minimum sentences. Minorities particularly suffer from this. African American inmates make up 40% of all U.S. prisons. And while white children are much more likely to abuse drugs, black children are 10 times more likely to be arrested for drug crimes. But the question remains; Is there anything different we can do? Is there any way out of this? In the 1980s, Switzerland experienced a public health crisis directly linked to heroin use. HIV rates have soared and street crime has become a major problem where it wasn't before. Swiss authorities have tried a new and improved strategy: risk reduction. Free heroin maintenance centers were opened. In these centers, drug addicts would be treated and stabilized. People would receive free high-quality heroin, clean syringes and have access to safe injection rooms, showers, beds and medical supervision. Social workers would help them find housing and deal with other life issues. The results were a sharp decline in all drug-related crimes and two-thirds of those housed in the centers found regular employment. They cleaned up their lives because they could now focus on their recovery instead of financing their addiction. Today, more than 70% of all heroin addicts in Switzerland receive substantial treatment, HIV infections have declined significantly, deaths from heroin overdoses have decreased by 50%, and street sex work and drug-related crime have been significantly reduced. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a personalized essay