It’s been nearly 50 years since the Controlled Substances Act passed in 1970 that created the scheduling program for drugs in the U.S., which classifies substances by how "dangerous" they are.

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Unfortunately, the ‘War on Drugs’ hasn't done much to battle the devastating effects of drug addiction in the U.S., though it has kept marijuana illegal, and contributed to the U.S. prison boom.

RELATED: The Real Reason We Started the War on Drugs

As of 2013, the National Institute of Drug Abuse reported that an estimated 24.6 million Americans age 12 or older have used an illegal drug in the past month. Those statistics include the use of marijuana, which by far accounts for the highest drug use in the U.S.

RELATED: Why Marijuana is Illegal

The second most used substance is prescription medication. As ATTN: has previously reported, prescription drug use in America accounts for a staggering 75 percent of pills popped worldwide. Trailing behind in much lower numbers are cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants and heroin, respectively.

The most recent reports from the Federal Bureau of Prisons reports that nearly 50 percent of inmates are jailed due to drug-related offenses.

RELATED: How Portugal Brilliantly Ended its War on Drugs

As drug legislation in the U.S. continues to evolve, take a look at a few other countries that have already reformed drug policy, with many positive effects in their societies.

Want to learn more about the history of drugs in the U.S.? Check out this ATTN: video: