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1st Feb.2006

 

Wrong worldwide policy on drug addiction

 

by

Siamak Zandpour

 

 

To understand the roots of the drug addiction problem lets have a brief review of historical and contemporary facts. Illicit drugs, especially opium, cocaine and their derivatives due to their high public demand are probably  the worlds greatest trade. According the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), annual worldwide illegal drug sales are greater than the gross domestic product of 88 percent of the countries in the world.  The global drug trade generated an estimated $321.6 billion in 2003. UNODC estimates that about 200 million people consume  illicit drugs  (annual prevalence 2000-2001). This includes about  163  million for cannabis, 34 million for  amphetamines, 8 million for Ecstasy, 14 million for cocaine, 15 million for opiates (of which 10 million for heroin). The drugs that constitute the biggest problem are the opiates, mainly heroin, and cocaine, which account for most of the nearly 29 million people termed problem drug users. These numbers are not cumulative because of poly-drug use. They should be treated with considerable caution, given the large gaps in the prevalence data reported. For a complete reference you may refer to the links to UNODC reports given in reference.

 

Of course due to the fact that this clandestine trade being not transparent, these statistics are merely indicative of the tip of the iceberg.

 

          Historically the opium plant (Papaver Somniferum) was cultivated by the ancient civilizations of Iran, Egypt and Mesopotamia. Fossils of poppy seeds found by archeologist show that the first humans (Neanderthals) more than 30000 years ago knew about this plant. The first written texts about this plant goes back to the ancient Sumerian civilization about 4000 B.C. in the ancient Greek and  Roman civilizations the gods of sleep Hypnos and Somnos are bearing this plant. In Egyptian paintings and Roman sculptures this plant is seen. Across the ancient Egypt this plant was common among the population. They buried their dead along with opium so as to be with them in the other world. By the 8th century opium spread to Arabia, India and China  Opium was known as the "juice of paradise", the "hand of god" and the "holy anchor of life".

 

          Throughout the human history opium was a free commodity. To make it a contraband is a modern phenomena having economical reasons only. It all started about 150 years ago with the first and second opium war between the British and Chinese empires. The worlds greatest, richest and most aggressive cartel in opium trade was in the hands of the British empire. The Chinese tried to prohibit the opium trade because the demand for opium became so high that it threatened the empires economy. But the British,  in order to retain their free opium trade started the opium war with the Chinese empire. With the Nanjing treaty of 1842 and the Tientsin treaty of 1858 the British obtained the right to expand freely their opium trade in China.

 

          With the instigation of small groups opposed to the opium trade, this system adopted a new strategy by prohibiting opium. In this way they pacified those groups opposed to the opium trade and at the same time an illicit drug trade came into being which proved to be much more profitable. This is due to the fact that by prohibiting opium, this highly demanded commodity being now a contraband would rise in its price manifold. In this way one of the greatest oppression to mankind started whose victims are the low income class of the population who could not afford these high prices for a commodity which was almost as important as their daily bread, although economically its real price is less than bread.

 

          The property of opium and its derivative heroin is such that by prolonged consumption it becomes for the body as important as food. It means the consumer or addict must take a certain dose of this drug in order to be able to work. This fact is exploited by an incorrect system and profiteers disregarding all the negative implications for the consumer and the society as a whole. The immediate victims are the low income class of the society who are for themselves and others a danger. In order to obtain this vital and costly commodity many are forced to take resource to criminal activities which in turn affects the whole society. Thus the ugly face of drug addiction becomes visible. We have to understand that this ugly face of drug addiction nowadays is not due to the drug itself but due to a system of law enforcement which prohibits this vital commodity. If for example the same law enforcement would prohibit your daily bread as a contraband, then exactly a similar ugly face would become visible.

 

          All the excessive propaganda against drug abuse including all the films and movies dealing in one way or others with illicit drugs just backfire by fueling the curiosity of the masses, especially the youths. It is rather natural that under such a social atmosphere a young person may try an addictive drug just once in order to satisfy his curiosity or give in to peer pressure. If this very first try results in pleasure than almost without exception there will be further consumptions resulting finally into addiction.

 

 

 

The negative results of the present illicit drugs policies

 

 

1 - The appearance and increase of drug lords, pushers, smugglers, organized gangs, middleman and so forth making a livelihood out of the illicit drug business.

 

2 - The prohibition of addictive drugs results in a very high price increase of the drug concerned which in turn is a factor of why drug dealers cut their drugs, sometimes with dangerous substances, in order to enhance its quantity and thus profit resulting in many deaths and physical damages.

 

3 - The permanent fear of social repercussions and punishment by the law creates psychological damages and creates conditions for further crimes in order to cover-up their illegal activities.

 

4- The permanent fear and problem of getting cheated or caught by the law, and also of how to cover his expenditure creates psychological damages.

 

5 - Many addicts of the low income class spend many hours, almost daily, to obtain their daily dose or the money for it which could otherwise be spend for more constructive activities.

 

6 - The addicts negative impact on his family circle, especially if he belongs to the low income class and has wife and children, which means that he will unwillingly cover his drug expenditure on their expenses.

 

7 - Especially in the low income class the addict will be frequently forced to obtain the money for his addiction by resorting to crimes.

 

8 - Expenditure of vast amounts of public funds to fight addictions, related crimes, smuggling, etc.

 

9 - Overloading the judiciary system. Most prisoners have drug related cases.

 

10 - The use of hypodermic needles by addicts creates a special problem. These addicts besides being addicted to the drug, they are as well addicted to the action of the injection itself because it produces the euphoria of what they call a "flash". It means that the whole potency of the drug will be experienced immediately. These type of addicts face the additional danger of injecting cut and impure stuff resulting in dead or physical damages.

 

11 - Production of alternative synthetic drugs with serious consequences for the consumer.

 

Thousands of voluminous books would not suffice to recount all the pains and miseries suffered by millions of people along with their families and friends throughout the world due to this wrong drug policy.

 

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     Now what happens if we would cancel the present anti-drug law enforcement and liberate it ?

 

     The first result would be that the prices for narcotics would drop to their real level which is less than the price of bred. Also the negative results mentioned above would be nullified. Here remains only the addict and his addiction. The damage an addict does to himself is debatable. As long as an addict can have his daily dose he will be of no danger to the society. He cam experiment and try to live with his addiction if he is not willing to give it up. He must be completely free in this regard. In the same way as drug rehabilitation centers help addicts to give up their addiction they can as well help non willing addicts to live with their addiction. The experience of many ex addicts was helpful in helping other addicts to give up their addiction. So also experienced addicts can help other addicts, who do not want or cannot give up their addiction, to live with their addiction. To end drug prohibition will not mean that everybody will become an addict.  Cigarettes are free, but not everybody is a smoker.  An addict can possess all the worthy human values and even excel in this regard his non addict human fellows. All the anti drug establishments and forces fighting drug related crimes can spend their energies to more constructive activities.

 

 

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Reference

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United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime:

 

Volume 2: Statistics - Full Report (PDF, 6.72 MB)

http://www.unodc.org/pdf/WDR_2005/volume_2_web.pdf

 

GLOBAL ILLICIT DRUG TRENDS 2003

Executive Summary

http://www.unodc.org/pdf/report_2003-06-26_1_executive_summary.pdf

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Polachek M. James. The Inner Opium War. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1992.

Graham S. Gerald. The China Station. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1978.

Chang Hsin-pao. Commissioner Lin and the Opium War. Harvard University Press, Cambridge 1964.

"God's Own Medicine" by Sir William Osler  (at www.opiates.net).