Drug Control Efforts

Prohibition was enacted in 1920 and had two obvious consequences: by making the transportation and sale of alcohol illegal, it promoted a black market (since demand was not eliminated); at the same time, Prohibition resulted in effectively lowering the consumption of alcohol--per capita consumption among those old enough to drink did not return to preProhibition levels until the 1970s (Cannon 2599).

Prohibition and the way that it was enforced also set the stage for the way in which drug use and transportation would be fought for the remainder of the twentieth century. The emphasis was on interdiction of shipments, with some effort directed toward reducing demand through harsh sentences for violators. Only in the last two decades of the previous century was there a shift toward decreasing demand for drugs (although spending on enforcement remained steady during that time). Drug control efforts for fiscal 2002 at the fed

. . .
American equipment were involved in trying to disrupt flights between Peru (where crops are grown) and Colombia (where they are processed into saleable product). The United States spent an estimated $1.9 billion on interdiction efforts in 2000, which is the equivalent of 19 metric tons of cocaine at retail prices. That amount has been intercepted as a result of the interdiction efforts, but it is not clear that the seizure of even 19 metric tons has had any measurable effect on the availability of drugs in the United States ("America's Shadow" 36). As the Peruvian incident demonstrated, the move toward multilateral action can involve convoluted relationships among various nations. In Peru, the CIA spotted and identified (as much as possible) suspicious aircraft, but was present in an advisory role only. "Fly-along" officers from the host nation would be responsible for authorizing any action that was taken. This is the situation that unfolded in Peru, but the misidentification, and the failure by the Peruvian military to confirm their target as a drug trafficker, points out the flaws in the system. At the same time, having American military personnel and equipment patrolling foreign countries has ramifications both for Ame
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Commissioner Narcotics, Latin America, Current Situation, Ecuador United, America's Shadow, Latin American, America Currently, Peru CIA, Conclusion Efforts, United United, drug trafficking, latin america, interdiction efforts, drug traffickers, drug policy, america's shadow, drugs colombia, drug war, financial aid, approaches drug, 19 metric tons, mexico received certification, united changes stance, american drug policy, policy suggest american,
Approximate Word count = 2562
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)

More Essays on Drug Control Efforts