Smoking the Pipe, Not the Chimney
by Alex Goldsmith
The war on drugs causes devastating amounts of damage to the world. Most are aware of the debilitating effects of drug use, crime, and their repercussions on people and communities. However, the harm that the war on drugs causes toward the environment is often overlooked, despite being equally, if not more far reaching than the social effects of the issue. Moving away from prohibition and towards regulation could alleviate many, if not all of these issues.
The secrecy and discretion necessary for drug production alone cause an immense amount of unnecessary pollution. Many drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and methylene-dioxy-meth-amphetamine (MDMA) have toxic precursors and synthesis byproducts. Since possessing such substances is as illegal as possessing the drug itself, they cannot be disposed of properly. Criminals have resorted to illegal dumping in rivers and forests to dispose of chemical waste. If drug production was legalized and regulated, toxic waste could be properly disposed of, minimizing harm to the environment.
Immense amounts of energy are also spent producing drugs derived from plants, such as marijuana. Some drugs are derived from endangered plants, such as mescaline from the Peyote cactus, and safrole, a MDMA precursor, from the Sassafras tree. These plants are not the only source for their respective compounds, but lack of regulation leaves these species vulnerable to extinction. Some drugs, however can only be derived from plants that grow in specific parts of the world, such as cocaine from South America. Drug production is also often carried out in remote areas of developing countries to remain inconspicuous. Consequently, these drugs need to be sent all around the world to be sold.Legalization and regulation of drug production would ensure that all production met a standard of healthy, safe, and eco-friendly operation. Consumers would have the choice to support companies that are domestic, have sustainable practices, and sell organic products.
World government neglects to consider environmental health with their current methods to combat drug manufacture. This is especially true for their tactics to eradicate psychoactive plant farms. In Colombia, the government crop-dusts a powerful herbicide called glyphosate over fields of contraband with airplanes with no regard for the surrounding environment. The toxin totally decimates life in the areas it is applied forcing drug producers to relocate and reestablish their entire operation. Not only is this tactic ineffective, but it cause an endless cycle of deforestation that is crippling the landscape. Instead of trying to solve a problem that will not go away, regulation should be considered as a better option. Regardless, our current practices are unacceptable and must cease immediately.
[Photo, No More Drug War, by Josh licensed by CC BY-NC-SA 2.0]
by Alex Goldsmith
The war on drugs causes devastating amounts of damage to the world. Most are aware of the debilitating effects of drug use, crime, and their repercussions on people and communities. However, the harm that the war on drugs causes toward the environment is often overlooked, despite being equally, if not more far reaching than the social effects of the issue. Moving away from prohibition and towards regulation could alleviate many, if not all of these issues.
The secrecy and discretion necessary for drug production alone cause an immense amount of unnecessary pollution. Many drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and methylene-dioxy-meth-amphetamine (MDMA) have toxic precursors and synthesis byproducts. Since possessing such substances is as illegal as possessing the drug itself, they cannot be disposed of properly. Criminals have resorted to illegal dumping in rivers and forests to dispose of chemical waste. If drug production was legalized and regulated, toxic waste could be properly disposed of, minimizing harm to the environment.
Immense amounts of energy are also spent producing drugs derived from plants, such as marijuana. Some drugs are derived from endangered plants, such as mescaline from the Peyote cactus, and safrole, a MDMA precursor, from the Sassafras tree. These plants are not the only source for their respective compounds, but lack of regulation leaves these species vulnerable to extinction. Some drugs, however can only be derived from plants that grow in specific parts of the world, such as cocaine from South America. Drug production is also often carried out in remote areas of developing countries to remain inconspicuous. Consequently, these drugs need to be sent all around the world to be sold.Legalization and regulation of drug production would ensure that all production met a standard of healthy, safe, and eco-friendly operation. Consumers would have the choice to support companies that are domestic, have sustainable practices, and sell organic products.
World government neglects to consider environmental health with their current methods to combat drug manufacture. This is especially true for their tactics to eradicate psychoactive plant farms. In Colombia, the government crop-dusts a powerful herbicide called glyphosate over fields of contraband with airplanes with no regard for the surrounding environment. The toxin totally decimates life in the areas it is applied forcing drug producers to relocate and reestablish their entire operation. Not only is this tactic ineffective, but it cause an endless cycle of deforestation that is crippling the landscape. Instead of trying to solve a problem that will not go away, regulation should be considered as a better option. Regardless, our current practices are unacceptable and must cease immediately.
[Photo, No More Drug War, by Josh licensed by CC BY-NC-SA 2.0]