the War on Drugs
/ðə ˌwɔːr ɒn ˈdrʌɡz/
/ðə ˌwɔːr ɑːn ˈdrʌɡz/
- the name given by the media since the 1970s to various US government programmes that try to stop the use of illegal drugs. They include public information campaigns and attempts to stop the trade of drugs into the US from other countries. The idea has been criticized by people who think that it would be more effective to treat the causes of drug addiction.