Security in the Western Hemisphere

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Security in the Western Hemisphere

• Illicit Narcotics

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The Basics

• A public policy issue in the 20th Century
• POLICY OPTIONS
• Supply-side v. demands side
• Interdiction
• Prohibition
• Harm reduction
• Decriminalization
• Legalization

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Perspective on the Study of Illegal Drug

• Philosophical Perspective  The moral issues
  surrounding what individuals should and should
  not be able to cultivate, produce, transport sell
  and ingest.  What is the proper role of
  government?  The rights of the individual?  The
  interests of the public at large?
• Criminal Justice Perspective   If substances are
  declared illegal, the issue of what the laws are
  and how to enforce them come into play.
• Health Care Perspective  There is also the fact
  the are pharmacological substances, the usage
  and/or abuse of illicit (and licit) substances
  have health care/medical implications, whether it
  be an issue of treating an addiction or
  understanding the effects of a particular
  substance.
• IR Perspective  Since many of the substances in
  question come from outside the US (indeed, drugs
  are a global phenomenon) then questions of how to
  deal with narcotics producing countries is a
  significant issue.
• Public Policy Perspective  In general the
  question of what the government should (and
  should not) and can (and cannot) do hovers above
  the entire conversation.

4
Problems Caused by the Drug Trade

• Crime
• Gang violence
• Familial problems
• Economic costs
• Money laundering
• Corruption of licit business
• Feeding guerrilla movements
• Funding terrorists

5
The Substances in Question

• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• Heroin

6
Weed

• One estimate of the market value of pot produced
  in the U.S. exceeds 35 billion.
• Nationwide, the estimated cannabis production of
  35.8 billion exceeds corn (23 billion),
  soybeans (17.6 billion) and hay (12.2 billion),
  according to Gettmans findings.
• Source LAT

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The Coca Bush
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Heroin
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Heroin
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Sources

• 2005 Map http//www.theatlantic.com/doc/prem/200
  707/cocaine
• Cultivation numbers ONDCP and WOLA via
  http//www.cipcol.org/?p422
• Marijuana market value info Pot is called
  biggest cash crop - Los Angeles Times