Charles E. Grassley

In the following viewpoint, Republican senator Charles E. Grassley argues that although the war on drugs is expensive, the United States has a responsibility to reduce the drug problem. Treatment, prevention, law enforcement, and interdiction are all vital parts of America’s fight against drugs, he says. Some people have questioned the wisdom of U.S. drug policy, he contends, but such critics underestimate the severity of the drug problem and the ingenuity of drug dealers.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is a conservative estimate of the cost of the U.S. antidrug effort, according to Grassley?
2. What is responsible for the reduction in drug use among young people during the 1980s, according to the author?
3. How did drug dealer Carlos Lehder...