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Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

bbc.com

31–40 of 73 posts

Re: Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

#31
post #6

Like some other things the news pushes, drugs are always on the rise. >While the report said the markets in Africa and Asia were "still limited Maybe because they put you to death for importation in South East Asia.

Having lived in Asia (low drug problems) and Latin America (drug-dominated hellhole) I much prefer the way drugs (and dealers) are dealt with in Asia than in Latam. The idea that waging war on drugs is a bad one sounds like a nut idea from out-of-touch people who have never been to a narco-state like Brazil, Mexico, or Colombia.

As a Colombian, you have no idea of what you are writing about.

Re: Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

#32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can make a pretty compelling argument that those narco states developed because of the war on drugs

Potentially, yes. But that case would only be good against poor _execution_ of the war on drugs, not the _concept_ that drugs need to be dealt with as if we were in a war. Activists seem to oppose the concept, which is where I disagree.

The concept is fundamentally flawed. Curtailing rights and imprisoning people for victmimless crimes is incompatible with anything approaching a free society. There are many approaches to dealing with the problems inherent with drugs, we just keep using the wrong over and over and at an extraordinary cost, in money, liberty and ruined lives.

Re: Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

#33

One of the favorite conspiracy theories of mine is that Fentanyl is a secret government project designed to scare the shit out of drug users so they stop using due to the fear of contamination.

I think it's China's revenge for Opium wars.

Re: Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

#34
post #16

The drug war didn't give us anything but more dangerous drugs.

It also gave us more dangerous police. Consider how much less armed the police would need to be if they weren’t facing off with an armed paramilitary funded by $600B/yr in drug sales? Policing would be about enforcing mundane stuff, because against the drug trade there really isn’t much money in organized crime.

You're missing the "more dangerous criminals" step

Re: Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

#35

The drug war didn't give us anything but more dangerous drugs.

I would love to see this assertion distilled further.

It's never been more clear than it is now thanks to Fentanyl. How often do people have accidental overdoses because their beer was contaminated? Or their Adderall? Never happens, virtually inconceivable. But the majority of overdoses from illegal drugs are due to either inaccurate dosage or unknown contaminants, problems that essentially cease to exist for legal drugs.

Re: Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

#36

Everyone I know who recreationally does cocaine is scared to continue because of the risk of fentanyl contamination.

Curious: from an economic perspective why would anyone in the industry want to contaminate their product like that? Like it's a fundamentally different substance with a different effect. If you bought mixed drugs from your dealer, you'd probably not do business with them again and would warn people away from them.

Re: Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

#37

Everyone I know who recreationally does cocaine is scared to continue because of the risk of fentanyl contamination.

Are there confirmed cases of this happening?

Currently residing in Cincinnati, and I witnessed an off-duty officer resuscitate a college-aged kid while waiting for ambulances to arrive. His friends didn't even notice as he gradually slowed down and collapsed while they headed to their next destination.

Re: Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

#38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not like this is a new phenomena either. People need to go read up on the opium wars a bit. We have data point after data point about the destructiveness of drugs on people - either it’s fentanyl or more “legal” opiates. The idea of hardcore legalization is the ultimate outcome of capitalism without morality or awareness of consequences.

> The idea of hardcore legalization is the ultimate outcome of capitalism without morality or awareness of consequences. Don't know if I buy this. In general, parties pushing for legalization fall more on the left side of the political spectrum. I can also appreciated that libertarians on the far-right think the same (shoehorn theory?) but on the right this is a fringe opinion, unlike in the left.

Go take a look at California and Colorado, at who is making money. Then look at who they have money too. These are the people driving legalization.

Its the exact same dynamic that is destroying liberal democracies world wide.

Re: Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

#39

One of the favorite conspiracy theories of mine is that Fentanyl is a secret government project designed to scare the shit out of drug users so they stop using due to the fear of contamination.

What would the short-term benefit of this be for the government?

Re: Cocaine production reaches record levels as new trafficking hubs emerge

#40
I'm surprised Africa doesn't already have South American and SEA style drug production and farming. I guess the lack of infrastructure and the existing competition, and all of the other problems in Africa limited it. Having constant security vacuums is probably not good for manufacturers. Stuff like FARC kept their jungle growing regions stable.
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