A Need for Cohesive Counter-Narcotics Policy
In 2009, the United Nations made a political declaration and plan of action on international cooperation towards an integrated and balanced strategy to counter the world drug problem.[115] Resolutions pertaining to the trafficking of illicit substances, money laundering, and abuse rates, all had one thing in common: they were labeled by the United Nations as global threats that needed to be dealt with under the principle of “shared responsibility” which required cooperation and participation by all nations involved.[116] Progress towards significantly reducing or eliminating the world drug problem was not, and is still not at the point of being labeled successful. Although no longer are the days of the free drug trade, which resulted in the Chinese opium epidemic, the control and prohibition of that trade has created an illicit market.[117] And today’s illicit opiate market spreads far more destruction than ever imaginable during the Chinese opium epidemic.
Every policy implemented in the last 12 years is still focused on either Afghanistan, or a small region of the illicit opiate market, giving the market the ability to exploit other regions not affected by these policies. Too much emphasis on Afghanistan alone, or Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, only is a mistake. The emphasis on the Golden Triangle created a loss in production there, but it allowed Afghanistan to take its place in the illicit opiate market. And now, “[b]y itself, Afghanistan provides 85% of the estimated global heroin and morphine supply, a near monopoly.”[118]
This shift of producing areas from the Golden Triangle to Afghanistan has led to an increase of opiate use in the transit countries surrounding it.[119] As of now, the illicit opiate market is still a profitable one generating an estimated “turnover of up to US$65 billion, of which some US$55 billion [is] for heroin alone”[120] with an estimated demand of 15 million people, most consuming heroin,[121] and a supply that is capable of feeding that demand for another two years even if production ceased completely.[122] The likelihood of meeting this deadline is at this point small, if not impossible. Markets such as the Chinese and Myanmar market, overthrown by international counternarcotic policies and Afghanistan, are presently on the rise in supply and demand of illicit opiates[123] which shows that the counternarcotic policies are unable to have long-term effects because of their lack of flexibility to adapt to the ever changing market. New markets such as the Russian Federation market, Central Asian market, the Caucasus market, and the African market, are also on the rise in supply and demand because policies have not traditionally focused on those areas.
Policy recommendations needed to alleviate the current death grip of the illicit opiate market, particularly the heroin portion of the market, must involve making the business of illicit opiates riskier, no longer as profitable, and unable to compete as effectively with licit businesses so that participation in the licit market becomes the best option, diminishing the power of the illicit opiate market, and loosening its death grip on society. In today’s age we need counter narcotics policies that give the necessary deterrence, incentives, competing licit industries, finances put to the actual infrastructure of the countries involved, and assistance in helping these under-developed agriculturally driven countries to exploit their licit resources, all so that the want/need to conduct themselves illicitly is no longer there. The goal is to attack the market as a whole, suppliers, traffickers, and consumers, by those who are currently affected, and those who can potentially be affected, while also making the licit market less of a risk, more financially lucrative, and easier to exploit for those involved.
The Global Illicit Opiate Market is one that can be tackled. Maybe not eliminated, but its control over millions of persons around the world can be diminished. Tony White stated accurately that the “illegal drugs industry must be deflated slowly by forcing down the value of drugs as a commodity.”[124] Again, the goal is to diminish the profitability of the heroin market, and raise the profitability of licit markets within participating regions. The risk with participating in the illicit market must be higher than that of participating in the illicit market. Policies must also be as flexible as the market itself. Focusing on one region based on its current participation is a mistake since the market has proven throughout time its adaptability to such policies.
By creating a cohesive policy that attacks the market on all levels, the market has less of an opportunity to adapt to those policies by doing things such as raising the price to deal with a loss in production but not demand. By creating a policy that is cohesively implemented by member states, the market has less of an opportunity to adapt to those policies by doing things such as shifting production sites when one area is under less control than another. And understanding the market so that the ability to foresee where it will go next when current areas reduce demand and/or production is key to any policy’s long term success. If the focus of any policy is only on today’s market, and not tomorrow’s market, the ability to prevent the reoccurrence of this persistent problem is almost non-existent.
Notes
[1] Tom Kramer, From Golden Triangle to Rubber Belt? The Future of Opium Bans in the Kokang and Wa Regions, Transnational Institute, July 2009, httP://idpc.net/sites/default/files/library/TNI_briefing%2029_golden%20triangle%20to%20rubber%20belt.pdf
(“The Kokang and Wa regions in northern Burma opium bans have ended more than a century of poppy cultivation. Yet these bands had dramatic and negative consequences for the local communities. The dramatic reduction of the ex-poppy farmer’s income, which was estimated in northern Burma to be about 45 per cent, drove those poppy-growing communities into chronic poverty affecting their food security and ability to purchase medicines.”)
[2] There is also the diversion of licit opiates into the illicit market. However, to narrow the focus of this paper, all facts contained herein are only relevant to the traditional illicit opiate market encompassing the opium and heroin markets. I will not be discussing any pharmaceutical opiates, or any licit commodities such as poppy straw in this section. Licit cultivation of poppy, licit production of poppy straw or licit production of opium, all for pharmaceutical use is not relevant to this paper. However, the diversion of precursor chemicals needed for the manufacture of licit opiate pharmaceuticals will be discussed in this paper because those same chemicals are used in the manufacture of heroin.
[3] U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC], 2010 World Drug Report, 19 (United Nations Publications 2010)
[4] 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs as Amended by its 1972 Protocol, art. 1(p), Mar. 25, 1972 (“Opium” means the coagulated juice of the opium poppy.”); See Also, The Senlis Council, FEASIBILITY STUDY ON OPIUM LICENSING IN AFGHANISTAN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MORPHINE AND OTHER ESSENTIAL MEDICINES 14 (2005) (“Opium: the coagulated juice of the opium poppy. (Article 1, 1961 Convention). Opium is the air-dried latex obtained by scoring the unripe seed heads of opium poppy. It contains morphine, codeine and thebaine, and a variable mixture of other alkaloids including noscapine and papaverine.”)
[5] The Senlis Council, FEASIBILITY STUDY ON OPIUM LICENSING IN AFGHANISTAN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MORPHINE AND OTHER ESSENTIAL MEDICINES 13 (2005) (“Alkaloid: An organic compound derived from plants. Opium alkaloids used in medicine include morphine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine and noscapine.”)
[6] U.N. Int’l Narcotics Control Board [INCB], 2009 Annual Report, 30 (United Nations Publications 2010) (“Acetic anhydride: the key precursor chemical used in the illicit manufacture of heroin”)
[7] The Senlis Council, FEASIBILITY STUDY ON OPIUM LICENSING IN AFGHANISTAN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MORPHINE AND OTHER ESSENTIAL MEDICINES 14 (2005) (“Morphine: the principal alkaloid derivative of opium.”); See Also, Id. at 63 (“It was first isolated by that was first isolated in pure form from dried poppy resin by German pharmacist, Friedrich W. Serturner in 1805.”)
[8] Id. at 64 (“In 1870 chemists would synthesize a substitute for morphine by acetylating it, and in 1898 Bayer pharmaceutical company would make this drug, 3,6-diacetylmorphine, available under the trademarked brand name heroin”); See Also, U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC], 2008 World Drug Report, 188 (United Nations Publications 2008) (“… became available as a pharmaceutical preparation in 1898. “Ironically, it was originally marketed as a non-addictive alternative to morphine, which was already proving problematic in many areas.”)
[9] For purposes of narrowing the breadth of this paper I did not include other commodities like poppy straw and illicit opiate pharmaceuticals. However, poppy straw has been interdicted among the Russian Federation and CARs borders for the use of manufacturing heroin. Furthermore, illicit opiate pharmaceuticals, particularly in the U.S., have a high demand in the illicit market and is an issue worth exploring further.
[10] The Senlis Council, FEASIBILITY STUDY ON OPIUM LICENSING IN AFGHANISTAN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MORPHINE AND OTHER ESSENTIAL MEDICINES 50 (2005) (“Papaver Somniferum L. is not the only poppy plant in existence, however, it is the most commonly used for illicit purposes due to its high morphine content. Also, there are many types of Papaver Somniferum L. that are cultivated, even in Afghanistan.”)
Alternatively, you could take secret drugs lords like the CIA out of the picture by legalising and regulating the drugs trade. But why go for simple, logical solutions when you can undermine the world though an interconnected network of drugs, oil and weapons trade?
Not that simple. To license Afghanistan for the licit manufacture of opiate pharmaceuticals, or at least the licit cultivation of poppy for other countries to manufacture those pharmaceuticals, two things would need to be done. As of now the cultivation, manufacture, export, and import of licit opiates is regulated by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). Afghanistan would first have to show that there is a demand for licit opiates, and second, that it could supply that demand without creating an oversupply of licit opiates. The point being, the INCB wants to make sure the medical field is supplied, but does not want an oversupply to leak into the illicit field.
Today, the INCB does not find a need for licit opiates, and instead finds an oversupply of licit opiates. Furthermore, the leading importer of licit opiates, the U.S., is contractually obligated to purchase its opiates from seven specific countries. As of now, the main argument involves having Afghanistan gain entrance into that contractual agreement with the U.S., which will not happen. And the counter-argument for that, which is why it will not happen, is that Afghanistan lacks the security for such a business venture.
Although I am stating the facts for you, based on a licit business argument, my next article will focus on Afghanistan being licensed. What should be noted, which is the main point of the above article, is that even if Afghanistan were to be licensed, that temporary fix would not have any long-term negative effect on the actual heroin market as a whole.
Thank you for your comment.
Amen to that Neo.
For further clarification, the way the system works, the United Nations, under the INCB, would have to approve this business venture. Until the correct argument is made, Afghanistan will continue to provide for the illicit market, not the licit market. And, as stated above, even if Afghanistan were to provide for the licit market, do not underestimate the potential of the heroin market to adapt to such tactics. It will, and has. Its ability to maintain profitability keeps it afloat, and such a quick fix will only affect Afghanistan, not the global market as a hole.
*whole.
Seems the sure way to make opium less profitable as a commodity have an oversupply of it. I know corn is not profitable to grow without government subsidies. There would need to be aggressive media on the dangers of heroin and super easy access to treatment along with this strategy. Heroin is not going to be a mainstream drug no matter what, the stories of it’s destructiveness are pretty much out there. A bigger problem by far is prescription opiates.
Treating drug addiction as a social problem rather than a criminal one would effectively destroy the trade.
The U.S. could start by legalizing marijuana. And medicinal marijuana would be a good substitute in many/most cases for prescription opiates. And we could go from there.
Legalizing marijuana I am likely to favor however, there would be massive economic consequences. Mexico’s main oil field is slowing down and cheap corn via NAFTA put many Mexican farmer out of work. The money from pot is a significant part of the economy there. Plus all the small time traffickers and dealers would be out of luck and keep in mind these lucrative jobs keep opening up for new people as law in enforcement takes folks out of the work force.
I fear what commercialization would do to. Industries are already great at getting people to eat loads of sugar, fat and salt and drinking alcohol. Do we really want businesses to be trying to ever increase their sales of pot while denying the real and common side effects of weight gain from increased appetite and lack of motivation? Because I can see that happening.
I don’t really see any down side to legalizing marijuana. Legalizing it in Mexico, as former President Fox just suggested doing, would help eliminate a violent black market and open up legitimate jobs. Weight gain is a dietary and exercise problem, not caused by smoking pot. and I think it’s an absolute myth that smoking pot causes people to lose their motivation. A lot of lazy people smoke pot. Pot doesn’t make them that way.
Hi Liana
This is wonderfully written.
May I suggest you research the false war on drugs when it was decided
that the CIA would let this be taken over by the new agency called DEA?
Many agents were called in 24 hours to halt their operations.
Then research the so-called drug lord Khun Sa, who was the Golden Triangle
connection. Living larger than life in the Shan mountains with three goverment’s protection. Burma Thailand and USA.
When The DEA put the heat on Burma to start the eradication of the poppy.
They did so reluctantly. There was a promise of assistance, which never came
good agents being sent back to the states, and keeping the Burmese at bay
by carrot and stick threats. While most poppy was being eradicated in accord with the USA wishes, Along comes 9-11 the mother of all wishes to come true.
Now America could get the prices up to snuff and that road from the fields to the cities back to higher yield and profits. With gangsters and drug dealers
as elected officials, and the brother of Afghan president, appointed by the USA
as a bank thief, the new world order of drugs came into play.
While American men and woman died in Afghanistan protecting what?
The career of lawyers who keep the wheel greased in drug cases in courts
through out the USA, and the public companies were building more prisons
to feed small town America’s economy, from the kids dealing on the streets
of inner cities. We were told that the poor Muslim people did not know how
to farm food? Look this is the industrial jobs complex.
First profits are from sales., then there is the Rockerfeller, lead, Methadone
program for addicts, then the 25 years to life sentences for courts and prisons
and the broken families left behind. Prisons get built. farmers sell meat
guards are hired, and you keep the wheel going. Lawyers and courts
make the wheel go round too So there will never be an honest discussion
nor termination of drug in or out of America. By us being in Afghaniland
we have allowed the poppy to yields of 4000% Its a business on one side
its the defense contract, on the other its purported to be assisting in freedom
for the poor people of Afghanistan
Peter Dale Scott’s “American War Machine” is an excellent resource on these matters.
It’s difficult to exercise any control on the narcotics trade when those doing the controlling wear both the “black” and “white” hats. They’ve set this up like they’ve set up US elections: no matter which way you vote, we’ll be led to the same sorry place: the paths look different but the Destination is the same. Speaking of, someone at FPJ may want to take a gander at the Director of National Intelligence’s Destination 2025 papers. It’s the roadmap for our future: global governance.