Answer:
People have rightly pointed out that drug offenses account for a relatively small fraction of “the prison population” at any given time. While correct, that shouldn’t be used to dismiss “The War On Drugs”. The number of prison sentences issued on drug offenses exploded around 1985 and stayed elevated for at least a quarter-century, perhaps declining a bit in the last few years. That adds up to millions of “extra” drug terms and at least a large fraction of the growth in prison sentences and prison records over the “mass incarceration” period. (I think it’s at least plausible it’d be a majority of that growth if we could account for related charges, but even if it isn’t it’s nothing to dismiss.)
Step-by-step explanation: