Question

who was the war on drugs directed to

Answer 1

Short answer: Officially the U.S. "War on Drugs" was directed at drug use, trafficking, and distribution — but in practice it was primarily enforced against poor, urban communities of color in the United States and against drug-producing/trafficking countries abroad.

Details:
- Official purpose: beginning in the 1970s (Nixon) and expanded in the 1980s (Reagan), policy rhetoric framed the effort as targeting drug users, dealers, traffickers and the illegal supply of drugs.
- How it was actually applied in the U.S.: enforcement, arrests, prosecutions and long mandatory sentences disproportionately affected Black and Latino communities, even though surveys show similar drug use rates across racial groups. Sentencing policies (for example the historic crack vs. powder cocaine disparity) amplified these racial disparities.
- Internationally: large resources were devoted to suppressing production and trafficking in Latin America, Southeast Asia and elsewhere (eradication, interdiction, military and police aid), which shaped foreign policy and fueled violence and instability in supplier countries.
- Political context: critics argue parts of the campaign were politically and racially motivated (famously referenced in a quote attributed to an aide to President Nixon), and the result was mass incarceration and lasting social harm in targeted communities.

If you want, I can provide statistics on incarceration disparities, a timeline of major policies, or sources (reports/books/articles) that document these outcomes.