A former Richard Nixon aide reportedly said that the drug war was set up to target black people.
John Ehrlichman, who served 18 months in prison for his key role in the Watergate scandal, was Nixon’s chief domestic advisor when the president announced the “war on drugs” in 1971.
At the time, the administration cited a high death toll from drugs as well as the negative social impacts as reasons to expand federal drug control agencies. The effects of the decision are still being felt today.
Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.
, former Richard Nixon aide
