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    The war on drugs in the United States is an escalating battle that has, as of recent times, reached unprecedented levels. In every city and state across the nation, law enforcement officials are working around the clock to eradicate the illegal use, possession and distribution of controlled substances at all levels of society. The increasing devotion of resources and efforts to the battle has achieved mixed results.
 
    A growing amount of money is being devoted to the funding of the war on drugs as time progresses. At last count, 19.2 billion dollars was being spent annually on the ongoing struggle, consisting of pay for law enforcement officials, education, treatment and other uses. This staggering amount translates into a stunning 609 dollars per second.

    Results are being achieved. An arrest for drug-related offenses occurs every 20 seconds, and 648 people are put in prison every day on drug-related charges. These numbers illustrate the prevailing tactic used by the U.S. government in the war against drugs – going after the people supporting the industry. By removing both the suppliers and purchasers of illegal drugs, it is hoped that the industry will collapse by itself, through the elimination of supply and demand.

    Aside from directly arresting those individuals responsible for the selling and purchasing of illegal drugs, the United States has also embarked on a campaign to take away the tools by which the drugs are used, primarily in the form of needles. To this end, there has been a recent federal ban on needle exchanges intended to restrict access to the tools necessary for the use of some illegal drugs.

    This program has drawn harsh criticism, however, as it has resulted in the use and reuse of unsanitary needles, possibly contributing to the number of AIDS infections in drug users who would otherwise have avoided infection by using sterile needles that could have been provided, but for the federal ban. According to a study conducted by the AIDS Prevention Studies Center of the University of California at San Francisco, 4000 new infections of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, could be avoided per year if the federal ban on needle exchanges was lifted. This translates into more than 10 new cases of HIV avoided per day, a figure that causes one to pause and consider whether the war on drugs is being fought in the best manner possible. (395 words)

    本文重点词汇和词组：escalating 逐步升级的；as of 从…起；around the clock日日夜夜； eradicate 根除；杜绝；staggering大得惊人的；stunning令人震惊的；go after追捕；sterile 消毒过的；embark on 着手，从事；but for 要不是…的话；HIV (=human immunodeficiency virus) 人免疫力缺乏病毒（艾滋病病毒）；lift vt. 撤消，解除。