The Next Big Idea Daily

Was the War on Drugs the Worst Policy Failure in American History?

Mar 6, 2026
Carl Hart, Columbia neuroscientist who studies responsible adult drug use. Tahira Rehmatullah, entrepreneur in the cannabis industry and advocate for inclusion. Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, sociologist focused on race and drug policy. They discuss how prohibition functions as social control, the need for expungement and reinvestment, opening cannabis industry access, and reframing recreational use and harm reduction.
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INSIGHT

Enforcement Served As Racial Social Control

  • Drug law enforcement functions as deliberate social control rooted in racist fears about minorities.
  • Tahira Rehmatullah explains laws targeting opium, cannabis, and cocaine were tied to controlling Asians, Mexicans, and Black communities.
ADVICE

Direct Tax Revenue Back To Harmed Communities

  • Reinvest cannabis tax revenue into communities harmed by prohibition to fund health, education, and reentry programs.
  • Akwasi cites Illinois directing 25% of cannabis tax revenue to community funds for crime prevention and reentry.
ADVICE

Clear Records Automatically After Legalization

  • Use legalization to clear records and restore opportunities for those criminalized for acts now legal.
  • Akwasi Owusu-Bempah urges government-led expungements and pardons to remove barriers to employment, housing, and travel.
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