Asa Hutchinson

Asa Hutchinson was formerly the director of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In the following viewpoint, excerpted from a speech he gave at Baylor University in 2002, he asserts that the war on drugs is succeeding. He contends that the war on drugs has reduced the demand for illegal drugs by half. In addition, he rejects the claim that the war is too draconian; he asserts that nearly all drug felons are imprisoned for trafficking offenses, not for simply using or possessing small amounts of illegal drugs. Hutchinson concludes that the war on drugs can be won as long as Americans do not give up the battle.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is harm reduction, and how are some European cities implementing harm reduction programs, according to Hutchinson?
2. What percentage of the population...