Use of Herbicides

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Medical and Health > Drugs
Political Science

Use of Herbicides

This paper looks at the history of the U.S. war on drugs, with specific attention devoted to the use of herbicides as an instrument to overcome Colombia's illicit drug trade.

1,980 words () | 10 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer outlines the controversial topic of aerial spraying or fumigation in Colombia as it pertains to efforts to destroy the country's illicit drug trade. To really understand the issue, however, the writer discusses the lengthy history of narcotics in Colombia, the history of the American war on drugs and the types of drugs that appear most prevalent in Colombia. From there, time is devoted to looking at the issue of aerial spraying, why it seemed like a good idea when first conceived, and precisely what impact it has had upon Colombia. In the final analysis, the writer maintains that aerial spraying seems superficially to be an effective means of thwarting the drug trafficking problem in Colombia, but it may simply be a needless distraction diverting resources and expertise away from worthwhile alternatives.

From the Paper:

"The history of the war on drugs is a long and important one, but it is necessary first to place it within the context of the even longer history of Colombia as a major international distributor of illicit narcotics. To begin with, marijuana cultivation in Colombia first emerged during the initial decade of the twentieth century. By as early as the 1930s, some cultivation was taking place among the Costeno black population on Barranquilla and urban criminals located in this territory were routinely smoking marijuana. Additionally, during the course of the Second World War, hemp cultivation muscled its way to the forefront courtesy the growing demand for large-scale fiber production as one part of the much larger war effort. Finally, by the latter part of the 1960s and by the early 1970s, marijuana production in Colombia became a fairly huge and lucrative industry in response to a growing demand for such a good in the United States."

Sample of Sources Used:

Bigwood, Jeremy. (2003, August 23). GM Crop weed killer linked to powerful fungus. The Toxic War on Drugs. Retrieved May 13, 2007 from <http://www.counterpunch.org/bigwood08232003.html>
Clemencia Ramarez, Maria. (2005). Aerial spraying and alternative development in Plan Colombia. Revista: Harvard Review of Latin America. Retrieved May 13, 2007 from <http://drclas.fas.harvard.edu/revista/articles/view/844>
Coutsoukis, Photius. (2004, November). Columbia: Drugs and Society. Colombia. Retrieved May 13, 2007 from <http://www.photius.com/countries/colombia/society/colombia_society_drugs_and_society.html>
Institute of Science and Interdisciplinary Studies. (2002). Aerial spraying in Colombia: Health and environmental effects. Retrieved May 13, 2007 from <http://www.tni.org/drugscolombia-docs/healthenvironment.pdf?>
McIlwaine, Cathy, and Moser, Caroline O.N. (2004, October). Drugs, alcohol and community tolerance: an urban ethnography from Colombia and Guatemala. Environment and Urbanization, 49(2): 49-62.