The War on Drugs

Question 1

What are drugs ?

Answer 1

Psychoactive substances (capable of affecting mental activity)

Licit or illicit; natural or synthetic; medical or non-medical; mild or strong

Question 2

What are a few common drugs ?

Answer 2

1. Cannabis : Herbal form, Resin form (hashish)
2. Cocaine : Coca leaves
   * Andes: Peru, Colombia, Bolivia
   * Cocaine
   – Traded for about 100 years
   – Medical applications
   – Coca-cola up to 1903
3. Opium : Opiumpoppy * Morphine
   * Heroin

Question 3

What are the different legal approaches concerning drugs and what do the mean?

Answer 3

Traffic vs. consumption - which one is the criminal offence

• Prohibition
• Depenalization
• Decriminalization
• Full legalization

Question 4

What are some roots of illegality of drugs ?

Answer 4

Mixed in with other racial biases.

• Marijuana: Mexicans, hippies
• Cocaine: Blacks
• Opium: Chinese
• Alcohol prohibition (1920-1933): Irish, etc.

Question 5

What to do to control the intake of drugs ?

Answer 5

• RAND study (cocaine)
• Treatment: 1
• Domestic enforcement: 7 * Interdiction: 11
• Source control: 23

Question 6

What is Portugal’s approach and what were its effects ?

Answer 6

2001 decriminalization of all drugs in Portugal

• Usage dropped (or increased slightly)
  – Other EU have usage rates double or triple
• HIV infection dropped among drug addicts
• Drug-related mortality decreased
• EU lower use than US (more criminalized)

Question 7

What is the drug contemporary market like ?

Answer 7

Contemporary market - 1965 - now

Rebound in consumption

Illegal mass markets in heroin and global distribution networks

Two centres of production
– Golden Triangle (Burma, Thailand, Laos)
– Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran)
* Today: Afghanistan (90%) and Burma (5%)

Question 8

How is the US and CIA complicit in this traffic structure and spread of drugs in general ?

Answer 8

Fight against communists and terrorists

• CIA mobilized local allies who became major drug producers and traffickers thanks to CIA protection and support
• CIA did not use drugs to finance its operations directly
• Result: dramatic expansion of drug production, trade, and consumption

Question 9

What is Burma’s role in the drug trade (CIA influenced) ?

Answer 9

1949: KMT defeated, refuge in Shan states
* CIA supports KMT vs. Communist China
* 1950-1970: KMT controls Burma’s drug trafficking, tax and organize production
* Thailand drug traffic also by CIA assets

Question 10

What is Indochina’s role in the drug trade (CIA influenced) ?

Answer 10

Golden Triangle opium/heroin to Laos and Vietnam
– South Vietnam government, US/CIA assets
– Hmong tribes guerilla allies
– CIA airline (Air America) flies opium
– Brings heroin to US soldiers and US and European markets!

Question 11

Discuss Nixon’s “War on Drugs”.

Answer 11

1971 onwards, Nixon, DEA

• Short term successes
  – Turkey, Marseille
• But long term failures
  – Trade networks and production centres reorganized
  – SEA opium from US to
  Europe/Australia
• “Balloon effect”

Question 12

What are the authors (and date) of readings relating to this topic, along with the reading’s main point ?

Answer 12

1. Mercille (2011) (Mexico) - The drug trade through Mexico since the 1980s has flooded the country with drug money, leading to increased corruption within the police, military, and government. The United States has prioritized expanding its influence in Latin America, often using military force to suppress opposition groups, over fighting corruption or defending human rights.
2. Bonner (2010) – essentially compares the case of Mexico and Columbia, powerful drug cartels that have infiltrated various levels of government and society, leading to violence and instability reminiscent of Colombia’s struggles 20 years ago. The successful campaign against Colombian cartels offers several lessons, including the importance of a multinational approach, clear objectives (destruction of cartels), a divide-and-conquer strategy, and the use of a proven tactic like the “kingpin strategy.” Removing key leaders is crucial for dismantling such organizations.
3. Felbab-Brown (2023) - the United States is experiencing the deadliest drug epidemic in its history, with over 100,000 Americans dying from overdoses between August 2021 and August 2022 alone. The continued growth of the fentanyl epidemic indicates that the measures in place are insufficient.
4. Mercille (2011) (Afghanistan) - the article discusses the War on Drugs in Afghanistan, emphasizing that it is not a real attempt at reducing drug production and consumption, but rather a pretext to suppress the insurgency. It argues that U.S. policies are often contrary to what a real war on drugs would entail.
5. US Senate (2010) - Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown emphasizes that rural development is key to strengthening the Afghan state and reducing the narcotics economy. Security (physical, but also financial) is the primary requirement for success in counternarcotics efforts in Afghanistan. Without security, other strategies are ineffective.
6. Lancet 2022 - formed in response to soaring opioid-related morbidity and mortality in the USA and Canada over the past 25 years. High-income nations have a responsibility to prevent their opioid manufacturers from fomenting opioid overprescribing in other countries, and all nations should consider how to strengthen regulatory systems to prevent domestically driven opioid crises.