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Considering the magnitude of the worldwide illicit drug trade and its impact on the United States, take a position on American enforcement policy in the world. Analyze the impact that American drug enforcement has had on the international drug trade. Has it been effective?
Abstract
The countries in which drug plants such as poppy (for opium and heroin) and cannabis (for marijuana), such drugs are smuggled into them. International drug trafficking is a billion-dollar business that grows each year.
Review
Drugs trafficked on an international scale include heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine etc. It has been an accepted fact the drug use has adverse effects on the social fabric of culture and community. International illegal drug trade can often lead to transnational criminal organizations being set up and growing roots. Such organizations, when they have their roots deep enough, can threaten the political stability of a country. Hence, international drug trafficking presents the United States of America (USA) as well as the international community with a multitude of challenges and risks. In order to counter the possible adverse risks of international illegal drug trafficking as well as local illegal drug trafficking within the country, the U.S. government has launched a number of programs and policies in drug enforcement.
The U.S. government is famous for its "War on Drugs" which was started by President Richard Nixon in 1972 (Vulliamy, 2011), and enforcement of harsh drug trafficking policies. These policies on drugs are developed to combat both the demand as well as the supply of drugs. Ever since the programs against drug trafficking by the U.S. government have been developed and launched, there have been an increased number of arrests and incarcerations of drug dealers and drug lords (Winterbourne, 2012). To protect against the supply side of drug trafficking from international sources, there has been revisions in the foreign policy. There are labs set-up to check for the purity of the drug along with launching drug substitution programs. In order to counter the demand for the drugs, the users are charged fines, probationary periods, prohibition from use, incarcerations (for drug related offences), and attendance to awareness campaigns, compulsory rehabilitation, with support for the families with drug offenders. Each state in the U.S. has its own drug policy. The severity of the punishment varies with the amount and type of drug found in possession and use. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is the agency set up by the U.S. government to eradicate drug smuggling and use within the U.S.A. It falls under the U.S. Department for Justice. It aids in the development and implication of the foreign policy against drug trafficking (Messing & Hazelwood, 2012). It sent a couple of supporting military units to South America as well as Central Asia to destroy the growth of cocoa and opium used in drug trade (Mackie, 2012). The newest policies on drug enforcement include the programs launched for family and behavioral training towards drugs and its use, along with methods for getting rid of addiction for the users who want to go clean.
Although U.S. government has been waging the "War on Drugs" for over four decades now, there has been little success on the international drug trafficking scenario. The drugs are still being smuggled into the U.S.A. via South American countries. Even though there have been a number of small arrests, there hasn't been any one arrested that can shut down the operation. South American as well as Asian drug mafias exist and pose a threat as always. The health facilities that were setup to combat the addiction have, however, been doing well in providing treatment and support to the drug users and their families.
Bibliography
Mackie, S.S. (2012, July 31). Making money without marijuana: Afghan farmers enabled to grow legal...
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