The War on Drugs

1. The War on Drugs Successes and Failures of Plan Colombia Lindsay Chard Jackie Wheel Allegra Green Eric Rothman

2. Thesis Statement • Plan Colombia was instituted by the Colombian and U.S. governments to stop the illegal production and trafficking of cocaine from Colombia. Although the government claims that production of the plant has decreased in Colombia, the amount of product delivered in the United States has not changed. Plan Colombia has not been effective or efficient in disrupting the drug trade and serious changes need to be implemented if the government wants to yield any major results in the future.

3. Drugs Survey • Results of In Class Survey

4. Drug History • Drug networks have a long history of violence that includes everything from kidnapping, terrorism, and Guerilla combat • Cocaine- • FARC-Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia

5. Colombia Case Study • Sine the 1970’s Colombia has been home to the most violent drug traffickers. As the world’s largest cocaine supplier it works primarily through small groups within the network known as cells. • Production -75% of world’s raw cocoa and 90% of finished product • Trafficking –Primarily trading routes move through Mexico and the United States. • Major Players-Cartels of Medellin and Cali Pablo Escobar King Pin to the Medellin Cartel

6. Drugs and The World Usage • World Usage • Drug Sale Circulation

7. Drugs and the affect on the US • "Illicit drug use is associated with suicide, homicide, motor-vehicle injury, HIV infection, pneumonia, violence, mental illness, and hepatitis. An estimated 3 million individuals in the United States have serious drug problems. • Studies have shown that there have been several more death that are due to drugs that have not been counted. • Overall, illicit drug use resulted in approximately 17000 deaths in 2000, a reduction of 3000 deaths from the 1990 report."

8. War on Drugs • 1969 – President Nixon calls for national anti-drug policy at the state and federal level. • 1971 – President Nixon declares War on Drugs • 1973 – Nixon creates the D.E.A. • 1975 – Medellin Massacre

9. War on Drugs Cont’d • 1982 – Pablo Escobar elected to Congress in Colombia • 1984 – Nancy Regan starts “Just Say No” campaign • 1987 – Anti Drug Abuse Act passed; $1.7 toward war on drugs. • 1993 – Pablo Escobar is killed

10. Plan Colombia • August 2000 – President Clinton gives $1.3 billion in aid to Plan Colombia, an effort to decrease the amount of cocaine produced in that nation. • April 2007 – Bush administration representative testify that Plan Colombia has been a success.

11. Support for Human Rights and Judicial Reform Support for Human Rights and Judicial Reform Alternative Economic Development Increased Interdiction Assistance for the Colombian National Police Plan Colombia’s Intentions

12. Success Statistics • Cocaine production down 22% • Seizure of cocaine bound for US up to 176 metric tons in 2006 • Kidnappings fallen 76% • Terrorist Attacks down 61% • 2007 – Approx. 72% of Colombians approved of Plan Colombia

13. Problems with Plan Colombia (Liberal Perspective) • From the UN World Drug Report 2007

14. The Use of Pesticides • Kills Crops • Pollutes Water • Unknown effects in the Environment/Rainforest • Agent Orange? • Dispersed by DynoCorp – lack of transparency and government oversight

15. Reliance on Military Economy • Feb. 2002 State Department announced move from anti-drug to anti-guerrilla • Guerrilla groups become “terrorists” • Money goes mostly to military and police

16. Throwing Money at an Issue • One large sum of money • Not much incentive to move away from illicit trade • Fair Trade and Competition • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_yY8sNVuKo - Plan Colombia Video

17. What about addressing the demand side???

18. Possibilities for Legalization • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GXb7-efd4M - Chris Rock