Andean farmers have good financial reasons for continuing to grow coca, and it is unlikely that theeconomic equation can be substantially altered. Cocaine is as cheap and plentiful as ever on U.S.streets, the biggest market for cocaine; the State Department estimates that 1999 coca productionincreased. The current U.S. retail cocaine market is somewhere between $30 billion and $150 billion.
Efforts at interdiction and crop substitution have failed, the former because the amounts of cocaineimported are so large that seizures have little overall impact, the latter both because alternative cropsare intrinsically less lucrative and because there is no infrastructure to bring such crops to market. TheU.S. General Accounting Office report to Congress argued that crop substitution was unlikely tosucceed, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has calculated the cost of raw coca as makingup less than 1 percent of the retail cost of refined cocaine in the U.S. The latter statistic means thattraffickers could easily afford to increase what they pay for raw coca if a shortage occurred, therebystimulating production.
In order to explain why the andean Countries prefer to grow coca, it is important to understand that thecoca plant is a part of the culture, as history shows and there is a difference between the existence ofcoca and cocaine. The usage and the production of the coca plant changed in the last hundred years,and the monocultural development carry tremendous illegal capacities. But on the other hand, it isoriginally a cultural heritage. To explain this issue one must know where it is cultivated, why and whatproblems it causes for the Andean Countries, and not only for these countries, but on a globalscale.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Coca Plant
3. History
4. Usage
5. Production of Cocaine
6. Cocaine Powder
7. Cultivation
7.1. Bolivia
7.2. Peru
8. A Global Problem
9. Issues
10. Solutions
11. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines the complex economic and social dynamics surrounding coca cultivation and cocaine production in the Andean countries. The primary research goal is to analyze why these nations continue to prioritize coca farming despite global prohibition and to evaluate the effectiveness of current interdiction strategies versus alternative development policies.
- The historical and cultural significance of the coca plant in Andean societies.
- The transformation of coca into cocaine and its global economic impact.
- The environmental, social, and migratory consequences of large-scale coca cultivation.
- The systemic failure of current "Drug War" policies and the limitations of crop substitution.
- The economic reliance of the Andean region on the illegal drug trade.
Excerpt from the Book
Alternativen
Seit Jahren wird versucht, das Drogenproblem mit immer härteren Maßnahmen in den Griff zu bekommen. Resultate sind aber bisher noch nicht sehr befriedigend, so daß die Drogenpolitik immer kritischer hinterfragt wird. Rasch deutlich wird die Hilflosigkeit und das Dilemma der Drogenpolitik, wenn man sich die möglichen Methoden der Drogenbekämpfung unter den Gesichtspunkten ihrer "politischen Realisierbarkeit" einerseits und ihrer (potentiellen) "Effizienz" andererseits vergegenwärtigt. Harte Bekämpfungsmethoden sind Repressionsverfahren verschiedenster Art. Gegenüber dem Konsumenten oder den Produzenten eingesetzt, wären sie wohl sehr effizient, aber nicht realisierbar, da man nicht alle Konsumenten einsperren oder alle Felder vernichten kann. Diese Maßnahmen sind also rein hypothetisch.
Repression gegenüber dem Drogenhandel aber ist politisch realisierbar, jedoch in unterschiedlichen Ausmaß in den verschiedenen Ländern. Die Effizienz hingegen ist nur von geringem Erfolg gekrönt. So gibt es Methoden die einerseits zwar potentiell effizient wären, aber nicht realisierbar sind. Andererseits gibt es Methoden, die zwar politisch durchsetzbar sind, sich aber als wenig effizient erweisen. Große Hoffnungen werden deshalb in die "weiche" Bekämpfung der Drogenproduktion in Form von alternativer Entwicklung gesetzt, die immer mehr Staaten und Regierungen praktizieren.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the economic dependence of Andean farmers on coca cultivation and the failure of existing interdiction efforts.
2. The Coca Plant: Provides botanical details about the coca shrub, its varieties, and the environmental conditions required for cultivation.
3. History: Explores the cultural, religious, and colonial origins of coca chewing and the later evolution of cocaine as a global illegal commodity.
4. Usage: Details traditional methods of coca consumption and the alleged health benefits of chewing leaves in Andean altitudes.
5. Production of Cocaine: Describes the chemical processes and materials used to convert raw coca leaves into cocaine base and hydrochloride.
6. Cocaine Powder: Examines the physiological and psychological effects of cocaine consumption and the expansion of coca fields due to rising demand.
7. Cultivation: Analyzes the geographic spread of plantations across Bolivia and Peru and the impact on local soil quality.
8. A Global Problem: Discusses the immense economic scale of the drug industry and its role in global GDP.
9. Issues: Addresses the socio-economic challenges, such as migration, corruption, and the protection of drug dealers by armed groups.
10. Solutions: Critiques the current "Drug War" strategies and discusses the obstacles to successful alternative development programs.
11. Conclusion: Argues for a shift toward decriminalization and international economic cooperation rather than just physical plant destruction.
Keywords
Coca, Cocaine, Andes, Economic Development, Drug War, Crop Substitution, Chapare, Huallaga, Interdiction, Illicit Trade, Bolivia, Peru, Public Policy, Alkaloids, Narcotics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this study?
The study investigates the economic development issues associated with the production of coca and cocaine in the Andean region and the failure of international strategies to curb this industry.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The work covers history, botanical cultivation, drug production chemistry, socio-economic impacts, and an analysis of global drug control policies.
What is the primary research objective?
The main objective is to identify why Andean countries remain trapped in an economic cycle of drug production and why current "soft" and "hard" interventions have failed to provide a viable exit strategy for farmers.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The author uses a qualitative analysis approach, combining historical data, statistical reports on crop production, and a comparative study of government intervention methods.
What core topics are addressed in the main section?
The main section details the agricultural realities of coca farming, the chemical steps involved in drug processing, and the economic conflict between illegal trade and legitimate rural development.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
Key terms include Coca, Cocaine, Andes, Economic Development, Crop Substitution, and Drug War.
How does the author evaluate the "alternative development" strategies?
The author argues that these strategies often fail because alternative crops cannot compete with the profitability of coca, and the necessary infrastructure for reaching global markets is missing in the Andes.
What specific role does the United States play in this economic crisis?
The study concludes that the U.S. is the primary demand-side driver of the market, and unless the U.S. addresses its domestic drug consumption, efforts to destroy production capacity abroad will remain ineffective.
- Quote paper
- Robert Mihelli (Author), 2002, Coca and Cocaine in the Andes, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/19499
