Richard Nixon's "War On Drugs" Campaign Spreads To Indonesia

President Richard Nixon in a speech (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The war against drugs has been around for a long time. President of the United States (US) Richard Nixon was the pioneer. Nixon became the main actor who labeled drugs as public enemy number one. He also declared the 'War on Drugs' campaign in 1971, which spread throughout the world, including Indonesia. Bake away from fire. Drug trafficking is increasingly difficult to stem. Nixoni grumbled that the war on drugs was more confusing than the Vietnam war.

Drug use is not new in the US. Since the American Civil War (1861-1865), the drug culture has expanded. Drug trafficking has reached its prime since the 1960s. The circulation of marijuana types is the most loved by young people. This condition is exacerbated by the presence of heroin as a prima donna among young Americans.

Concerns then emerged from the US President, Richard Nixon (1969-1974). The increasingly widespread drug trafficking broke much of his concentration. Including concentration on the Vietnam War. He tried to take over the problem. The number one person in the US immediately declared a "War on Drugs" before the US Congress in 1971. Drugs are public enemy number one, he said.

The war on drugs has transformed into a massive global campaign for the prohibition of drugs through military intervention and strengthening funds for the military. “America's number one public enemy in the US is drug abuse. To fight and defeat this enemy, it is necessary to launch an all-out new offensive," Nixon said in his address to Congress.

President Richard Nixon (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

During this time, Nixon's war on drugs was focused on improving the punishment, enforcement, and detention of drug offenders (dealers and victims). As a result, his campaign focuses not on comprehensive prevention and treatment initiatives, but as a criminal justice priority.

As a result, there is concern over the effectiveness of the war on drugs. Some people consider the campaign a waste of money, especially when there is a narrative that considers the war on drugs only to weaken the influence of the black community in the US. It is clear that there is an attempt to label black people as heroin addicts who are the scapegoats of criminality in the US.

“As an addict's tolerance for drugs increases, his demand for drugs increases, and the cost of his habit increases. This can easily reach hundreds of dollars per day. Since the "fence" of the underworld will only give him a fraction of the value of the item he steals, an addict may be forced to commit two or three thefts a day to maintain his habit."

"Road robbery, professional squalor, even the impoverishment of others for drug addiction—an addict will commit any offense, any degradation to get the drugs he wants," Nixon said as Sean J. Haley et al wrote in the book Opioids and Population Health ( 2020).

As a result, in less than 10 years the Nixon-style war on drugs is considered detrimental. The absence of preventive measures for drug users is a major problem. In addition, the fight against drugs triggers the emergence of illegal drug trafficking in unusual ways. The drug business is mushrooming in the US. As evidence, several countries, including Indonesia, consider drug consumption to be a culture imported from the US.

"In the history of the war against narcotics, America has produced a young generation of addicts known as the hippie generation or the flower generation: At this point there are similarities between the law enforcement model in Indonesia today and the law enforcement model during the Nixon era," said Anang Iskandar in his book Political Law on Narcotics ( 2020).

Spread to Indonesia

It was General Hoegeng Imam Santoso who began to realize the spread of drug trafficking among young Indonesians in 1970. The National Police Chief nicknamed The Singing General said that the spread of drug culture could not be separated from the influence of US culture which stimulated the spirit of freedom and resistance among the younger generation. Indonesia then followed in the footsteps of the US in promoting the fight against drugs.

Hoegeng, who after attending the Interpol trial in Belgium, received information regarding the dangers of drugs. This provision was then used by Hoegeng to dig deeper into the spread of drugs in the archipelago. In his notes, at that time the types of drugs that were widely consumed were heroin, LSD, morphine, and marijuana plants. Hoegeng went undercover to get a clear picture of the effects of narcotics.

“The threat of narcotics for young Indonesians actually comes from the global situation of the youth world on the one hand, and local realities in Indonesia on the other. The life atmosphere of young Indonesians in big cities is known to be oriented to the habits of hippies and pop singers who are idols of teenagers, then it is also associated with the phenomenon of 'cougar' and 'cross mama' households in big cities like Jakarta. ”

General Hoegeng (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

"Many children of rich people who experience broken homes try to escape from the bitterness of life by becoming addicts to marijuana, heroin, and narcotics," said Hoegeng as written by Abrar Yusra and Ramadhan KH in the book Hoegeng: Police Idaman and Reality (1993).

Based on Hoegeng's investigation, the Police had arrested a young marijuana addict. The young man turned out to be the son of one of the ministers in power during the New Order (Orba) era. However, before the investigation was resumed, Hoegeng was quickly "ambassed" (pronoun: exiled from his duties) by President Suharto in 1971. After that, drug trafficking was increasingly rampant in Indonesia.

The Governor of DKI Jakarta (1966-1977) also felt the same way. The increasingly widespread drug trafficking is increasingly damaging the younger generation in the capital city. In fact, drugs have appeared among school children. Ali Sadikin immediately launched an anti-drug campaign in schools. He often said: Marijuana is more dangerous than pornography.

Governor Ali Sadikin (Source: National Library)

Ali Sadikin has realized from the beginning that people who play in the drug business are definitely not random figures. The police couldn't figure it out. Especially the DKI Jakarta government. Nor is it his field of work. So, Ali's efforts are to carry out preventive efforts which are the responsibility of many parties. Not just the police. Instead, all elements of government, teachers, and community leaders.

Every young person is given the right understanding so that they can avoid the bad effects of drugs. Moreover, Ali sadikin also initiated drug treatment and rehabilitation facilities for those who are already addicted to drugs.

“I held a special clinic at Fatmawati Hospital for narcotics victims. In 1973, I initiated the establishment of 'Wisma Pamardhi Siwi' as a means of treatment/rehabilitation for narcotics victims or delinquent children from raids or entrusted by their parents. There, rehabilitation of the victim was attempted. Before returning to the community, the victims were first given guidance," closed Ali Sadikin, written by Ramadhan KH in the book Bang Ali: For the sake of Jakarta 1966-1977 (1992).

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