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Running Head: DRUG TRAFFICKING

Drug Trafficking in the United States

Yazmin Baquera

University of Texas at El Paso

MarcoRodriguez

RWS1302
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Abstract

Drug trafficking is one of the most profitable illegal networks

worldwide. The United States has been fighting the drug war since

1971, and the United States government has yet to find a successful

solution. Some drugs that are illegally smuggled over the American

border include: cocaine,crackcocaine,heroine,purity,methamphetamine,marijuana,

MDMA(ecstasy),LSD(Lysergicaciddiethylamide),PCP(Phencyclidine),

Flunitrazepam,GHB/GBL(Gammahydroxybutyrate),steroids,prescriptiondrugs,and

otherdrugs.However,drugtraffickingdoesmorethansmuggleillegalproductintoour

country,italsoaffectsourhealthcaresystem,judicialsystem,andcreatesactivedrug

abusersandcriminalsinoursociety.Tograspafurtherunderstandingofthisissue,we

willaskthreeessentialquestions:howcanwestoplargenumbersofdruginvolved

criminaloffendersfromusingdrugs,howconcentratedisdruguseamongactive

criminals,andhowdoesdrugtraffickingaffecttheU.S.economy.Thesethreequestions

willbefurtherexaminedthroughoutthisessaytogiveaclearerunderstandingtodrug

traffickingintheUnitedStates.
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Drug trafficking in the United States: A Literature Review

AccordingtoTheU.S.DrugEnforcementAgency(2004),thedrugindustryis

oneofthemostprofitableillegalnetworksintheworld. This black market

manufactures and distributes illegal product around the country to

millions of people every year. Some drugs that are manufacturedand

distributednationwideinclude:cocaine,crackcocaine,heroine,purity,

methamphetamine,marijuana,MDMA(ecstasy),LSD(Lysergicaciddiethylamide),PCP

(Phencyclidine),Flunitrazepam,GHB/GBL(Gammahydroxybutyrate),steroids,

prescriptiondrugs,andotherdrugs.

TheeffortsputinplacetostoptraffickersfrominfiltratingtheUnitedStates

borderhavenotbeenveryeffective.Thousandsofpoundsofillegalcontrabandhave

beenpassedthroughourborders,boatports,vehicles,airplanes,byfoot,andotherways

intotheUnitedStates.Whenillegalsubstancesaresmuggledtheyaredistributedtodrug

users,thuscreatingmanyproblemswithinoursociety.Manyproblemsthatareassociated

withdrugtraffickinginclude:healthproblems,mentalhealthproblems,drugrelated

crimes,murder,druguse,andmanyothers.However,ourcurrentgovernmentistryingto

putineffectiveorderstohelpstrengthentheUnitedSatesfightagainstthisdrugwar.To

helpfurtherunderstandhowdrugtraffickingaffectstheUnitedStates,wecanaskthree

essentialquestions:

1.Howcanwestoplargenumbersofdruginvolvedcriminaloffendersfromusing

drugs?

2.Howconcentratedisdruguseamongactivecriminals?
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3.HowdoesdrugtraffickingaffecttheU.S.economy?

Thefollowingreviewonliteraturewill:provideinformationonhowdrugtrafficking

affectstheUnitedStatesindifferentaspects,andwhatcouldbedonetohelpcontrolthis

issue.

Howcanwestoplargenumbersofdruginvolvedcriminaloffendersfromusing

drugs?

DrugtraffickinghasbeenamainissuethattheUnitedStatesthatisfought

everyday.However,BorderPatrolagents,ICE(U.S.ImmigrationandCustoms

Enforcement)agents,Customsagents,DEA(DrugEnforcementAgency)agents,and

otheragentsdonotdetaineverydrugoffenderwhentheysmuggleillegalproducts

throughourborders;thisishowproductisdistributedtothepopulationnationwide.

AccordingtotheU.S.NationalLibraryofMedicineNationalInstituteofHealth

(2009),inthepasttwentyyearstheyhaveseenasubstantialincreaseinthenumbersof

individualsincarceratedorunderotherformsofcriminaljusticesupervisionintheUnited

States.Asthesenumbersincreaseeveryyear,about7.1millionpeopleareundersome

kindofcriminaljusticesupervision.Duetothisdata,thisiswhydruglawsand

punishmentsaresoseverefordrugoffenses.Inarecentstudy,researchesconcludedthat

addiction is a brain disorder with a strong genetic component that has sparked for new

pharmacologic treatments. Most prisoners that are eligible for this treatment (80%-85%)

will not receive it.

This data shows how essential drug treatments are needed for drug criminals to

become sober, because without rigorous treatments and taking the correct medications on

time they will continue to abuse drugs and traffic them in the United States. Also, drug
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offenders do not receive their medications, because the prion systems dont have enough

revenue to provide them with it.

Figure 1. This image shows the dependence on or abuse of specific illicit drugs in

the past among people twelve or older. This research concluded that the most

popular illegal drug choice was marijuana, and is highly popular among drug

users.

Retrieved from

https://www.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/cadchart.pdf

Furthermore, research over the last twenty years has also concluded that

alternative ways of treating drug abuse among criminal offenders have been very

successful. Some of these alternative treatments include: therapeutic alternatives,

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treatment with supervised visits from drug courts, prison and jail based treatments, and

programs for prisoners when they are released back into the community.

Drug education can also be a helpful way to help reduce drug abuse and drug

addiction issues. According to U.S.NationalLibraryofMedicineNationalInstituteof

Health(2009), more than one-quarter of state inmates and 1 in 5 federal inmates

meeting abuse/dependence criteria participate in self-help groups such as Alcoholics

Anonymous while in prison, however even though treatment is received while being

incarcerated to reduce drug abuse and other drug related crimes less than twenty percent

of past offenders receive formal drug treatment after being incarcerated. For these

reasons, drug treatments are essential to help criminal offenders from using illegal drugs

after being incarcerated; also educating the public on drug use and drug abuse can help

reduce this problem.

Howconcentratedisdruguseamongactivecriminals?

Druguseamongactivecriminalsiswhatkeepsthedrugtraffickingcyclealivein

ournation.AccordingtotheNationalDrugIntelligenceCenter(2009),streetgangs,

outlawmotorcyclegangs(OMGs),andprisongangsaretheprimarydistributersofillegal

drugstothepopulation.Thesegangshavealsobeenknowntosmuggle,produce,

transport,anddistributelargequantitiescontrabandintotheUnitedStatesthoughits

bordersthatinclude:powderedcocaine,crackcocaine,heroin,marijuana,

methamphetamine,MDMA,andPCP.Gangmembersalsoconvertpoweredcocaineinto

crackcocaine,andalsosellthemostPCPintheUnitedStates(NationalDrug

IntelligenceCenter,2009).Marijuanaandmethamphetaminesarealsodistributedby

thesegangstodrugusers.
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Inaddition,theNationalDrugIntelligenceCenter(2009)alsoreportedthat,

Thereareatleast21,500gangsandmorethan731,000activegangmembersinthe

UnitedStates.MostactivityisfocusedinmoreurbanareasoftheUnitedStates,

howevergangactivityisshiftingtoruralandsuburbanareasofthecountry,because

pressureofincreasinglawenforcementinthecityisthreateningtheirdrugmarket

activity.In2001,TheU.S.DepartmentofJustice(2010)conductedasurveythatfound

outtwentypercentofstudentsagedtwelvethrougheighteenreportedthatstreetgangs

hadbeenseenattheirschoolwithinasixmonthrange.

AccordingtotheNADCP(NationalAssociationofDrugCourtProfessionals)

(2008),theagencystatesthateightypercentofdrugaffiliatedcriminalsabusedrugsor

alcohol,andhalfofthoseusersareaddictedtothesesubstances.Thisagencyalso

concludedthatafterthesecriminalsarereleased,sixtytoeightypercentofthemcommita

newdrugrelatedcrimeafterbeingreleasedandninetyfivepercentofthemgobackto

abusingdrugsagain.Withthesefactsinmind,drugusersamongactivecriminalsare

usedquiteoften.Thesecriminalshavedrugsreadilyavailabletothemwitheasyaccess,

andtheyarefrequentusers.

Furthermore,drugcourtshavebeenputinplacetohelpreducedrugaffiliated

criminalsfromabusingortraffickingdrugs.DrugCourtsaresupervisedcourtvisitsthat

putinplaceproperbalancebetweentheneedtoprotectcommunitysafetyandtheneedto

improvepublichealthandwellbeing;betweentheneedfortreatmentandtheneedto

holdpeopleaccountablefortheiractions;betweenhopeandredemptionontheonehand

andgoodcitizenshipontheother(NationalAssociationofDrugCourtProfessionals,
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2008).Drugcourtskeeptightsupervisiononnonviolentdrugaddictedcriminalsforlong

periodsoftime.Thesecriminalsreceivetreatmentandotherservicesforthemtostay

sober,andtohelpthemmoveonintheirlivestoabstainfromdruguse.Drugcourtsalso

conductrandomdrugteststocriminalsintheprogram,arealsorequiredtogotocourt

everysooftenforajudgetoassestheirprogress,andreceiveawardsforcomplyingwith

therequirements.Theyalsohaveseenasubstantialamountofsuccessfulcasesamong

theirprogramversusprobationalone,becausetheyprovideclosersupervisionandare

easiertounderstand,andtheyaresixtimesmorelikelytokeepcriminalsintreatmentfor

longerperiodsoftimeforthemtogetridoftheiraddiction(NationalAssociationofDrug

CourtProfessionals,2008).

HowdoesdrugtraffickingaffecttheU.S.economy?

DrugtraffickingisanimmenseexpensiveontheUnitedStatesgovernmentfight

againstthisblackmarket.AccordingtotheUnitedStatesDepartmentofJustice&

NationalDrugIntelligenceCenter,theeconomiccostontheUnitedStatesgovernmentis

abouttwohundredandfifteenbillionperyear.Thedemandforillegaldrugsplaysahuge

rollinwhyitissoexpensivetomanage.In2008,themostpopulardrugsusedinthe

UnitedStateswhere25.8millionpeopleovertheageoftwelveusedmarijuana,15.2

millionusedpsychotherapeutics,5.3millionusedcocaine,and850,000usersusedheroin

(UnitedStatesDepartmentofJustice&NationalDrugIntelligenceCenter,2010).

Togainfurtherinsightinthisillegalmarket,aninterviewwasconductwith

BorderPatrolagentHectorVargas.AgentVargashasbeenintheBorderPatrolagency
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forovertwentyyears,andhasseenabouteveryaspectfirsthandwhenitcomestodrug

trafficking.Vargasstated,Drugtraffickingisamultibilliondollarbusinessthatisnot

taxed,andmostoftheproceedsgoestoMexicoandotherNorcotraffickingstates.Most

oftheseproceedsarepaidtodifferentlevelsofdrugtraffickersfromstreetcornerdealers

toDTOs(drugtraffickingorganizations).TheUnitedStatesisknownasthebiggestand

bestplacetoselldrugsforhugeprofits.DTOswilldoanythingtoselltheirproductin

Americaandwilltaketheprofitbacktotheircountry.Hisexperiencereflectsonthis

statement,andenforcesthefactsthatdrugstraffickingdoaffecttheUnitedStates

economy.

TheimpactontheAmericanhealthcaresystemsandhealthsystemsfromdrug

traffickinghavealsoplayedahugerollinwhyitissoexpensivetofightthisdugwar.In

2008,NSDUH(NationalSurveyonDrugUseandHealth)estimatedthat7million

individualsaged12andolderwereaddictedonorhadabusedillegaldrugsinthepast

year.Themostpopulardrugchoicesamongtheseindividualsweremarijuana,cocaine,

andprescriptionpainrelievers.Mostofthetime,thesedrugaddictsorpeoplewhoabuse

drugseventuallyseektreatmentstohelpstoptheirhabit.AccordingtoTEDS(The

TreatmentEpisodeDataSet)whichisagencythatprovidesinformationofdrugabuse

patternsoftreatmentadmissionstofacilitiesthataidindrugtreatment,theyreportedthat

in2007therewas1.8millionadmissionsintodrugtreatmentfacilities.Outofthose1.8

million,31%ofthepatientssoughtouthelpforheroin,27%formarijuana/hashish,22%

forcocaine,and13%forstimulants.Whenpatientsgothroughdrugintenseprograms

likethese,someofthepatientsgothroughadversereactionstotheirdrugchoicethat
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requirehospitalization.AccordingtoDAWN(DrugAbuseWarningNetwork),in2006

theyreported113millionemergencyroomvisitswereformisuseoroverdosesonillegal

drugs.Themostpopulardrugsfoundinthesesituationswerecocaine,marijuana,heroin,

stimulants,amphetamines,andmethamphetamine.

Furthermore,theconsequencesofdrugaddictedpeoplearenotonlylimitedto

them,butalsoeffectstheirfamilyorclosefriends.TheSAMHSA(SubstanceAbuseand

MentalHealthServicesAdministration)reportedthatintheyear2002to2007,2.1

millionchildrenlivedwithoneparentthatwasaddictedorusedillegaldrugs,1in10

childrenlivedwithaparentthatwassubstanceaddictedorsubstanceabusive,andthis

substanceabuseisafactorintwothirdsofallfostercareplacementsintheUnitedStates.

Allinall,drugtraffickingintheUntiedStatesisacontinuousissuethathasnot

foundaneffectivesolution.Forthisreason,drugoffenderssmuggleillegaldrugsacross

ournationsborders,andleavetheUnitedStateswithmanymoreissuesthanjustdrug

trafficking.Drugaddictedcriminalsandabusersareveryactiveinthepurchasingof

smugglersproducts,whichhelpkeepthiscyclealive.However,withrigoroustreatment

andprogramscanhelpreducethisnumber.Also,drugtraffickingnotonlyaffectsthe

UnitedStateseconomy,butalsoposesathreattoournationshealthcaresystem,judicial

system,andgainsactiveusers.Bypromotingawarenesstothisissue,ournationcould

cometogethertofigureoutasolutiontoputastoptothisongoingcycle.
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References

H.Vargas,personalcommunication,(March21,2017).

Kleiman,M.A.R,Caulkins,J.P,Hawken,A.,Kilmer,B.(2017)EightQuestionsforDrug

PolicyResearch.Retrievedfrom http://issues.org/284/kleiman2/

NationalAssociationofDrugCourtProfessionals.(2008).TheFactsonDrugsand

CrimeinAmerica.Retrievedfrom

http://www.nadcp.org/sites/default/files/nadcp/Facts%20on%20Drug%20Courts

%x

NationalDrugIntelligenceCenter.(2009,July1).DrugsandGangsFastFacts.

Retrievedfrom:https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs11/13157/

NationalInstituteonDrugAbuse.(2012,April).CommonlyAbusedDrugs.(Datafile).

Retrievedfrom

https://www.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/cadchart.pdf

U.S.DepartmentofJustice,NationalDrugIntelligenceCenter,NationalDrugThreat

Assessment.(2010,February).ImpactofDrugsonSociety.Retrievedfrom

https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs38/38661/drugImpact.htm

U.S.NationalLibraryofMedicine,NationalInstitutesofHealth(2009,January14).

TreatingDrugAbuseandAddictionintheCriminalJusticeSystem:Improving

PublicHealthandSafety.Retrievedfrom
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2681083/