The United States' war on drugs: the securitization process of drugs

This thesis examines how the United States has historically constructed drugs as a security threat within the framework of the Copenhagen School's securitization approach. By analyzing the rhetoric of U.S. presidents, political initiatives, and legal regulations related to drugs, the study outlines the different dynamics of this process. To better understand the content of drugs, their historical use is first addressed, followed by an analysis of the historical development of the global drug control system through international agreements starting from the 1909 Shanghai Opium Conference, and the role of the U.S. in this process. Within the context of U.S. domestic policy, the political reasons behind the inclusion of drugs in the penal system are examined with a multidimensional perspective that takes social and racial aspects into account. Policies conducted by presidents from Richard Nixon to the present, the decisions made, and laws enacted are analyzed to shed light on the domestic impacts of the war on drugs, while the external effects are mentioned without detailed elaboration. Within the framework of the speech-act approach of securitization theory, 30 documents related to Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush are analyzed to demonstrate how these actors achieved securitization through speech acts. Additionally, the role of the media in this process is also examined. On the other hand, the study discusses the outcomes of desecuritization through alternative policies implemented by some countries. The research analyzes the effects of the war on drugs on U.S. society, the transformation of the global perspective, and the role of speech acts in securitization; within this context, it scrutinizes how the security discourse is constructed and the political, global, and societal reflections of this construction. In light of the findings, the study questions the impacts generated by the war on drugs, why the desired objectives have not been achieved, and the necessity for alternative approaches. Keywords: The War on Drugs, Securitization, Desecuritization, Speech-Act, USA