America’s Drug Trade Imports More Than Just Addiction
by Daniel Faris
Drug use has been a hot topic in the U.S. for some time now. Washington and Colorado legalized recreational marijuana, and Washington, D.C. is going head-to-head with Congress over the city voters’ decision to legalize.
But what isn’t often mentioned in the current national debates over drug trade imports is their massive toll on the environment, which includes more than just marijuana. This isn’t about sweeping climate change or partisan politics – it’s about straightforward, demonstrable harm that the drug trade has caused to forests and water supplies across the globe. And, unfortunately, there aren’t any easy answers.
Deforestation
You’ve been hearing about the deforestation of the South American rainforest for decades now, but maybe not in regards to drug trafficking. Drug traffickers need a place to set up their operation where they will be difficult to locate, and so set about clearing forests for use as fields and for hidden runways to export their product.
As a result of the cocaine trade, deforestation in Honduras nearly tripled in 2011, growing from 75 km² to around 190 km². The rainforests of Columbia are also suffering; in Columbia, 21.5% of coca fields were made by destroying prime forests.
Also, in a drastic attempt to control, or at least contain, illegal coca fields, Peru and Uzbekistan have been using biological agents since the 1980’s. These biological agents often contribute to the pollution of ground water, and have been found to cause harm in humans and animals alike.
Deforestation causes erosion, and since the scale of deforestation from drug trafficking is so large, the soil erosion is severe. The erosion caused by deforestation leads to clogged waterways and soil that’s less than healthy for agriculture. Basically, our food supply is threatened by deforestation.
Marijuana
From smoking a single marijuana cigarette to running an entire indoor cultivation center, marijuana impacts the global environment in a number of ways.
Illegal indoor marijuana cultivation releases greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to about 3 million cars. Outside of Washington and Colorado, these operations are hidden and unregulated.
When asking tough questions regarding legalization, ask how environmental issues will be handled. If marijuana is legalized, what sort of regulations will be enforced to curb its environmental harm? Will these regulations help with deforestation and other environmental issues? Can they be enforced at all?
Prescription Drugs
Think you aren’t part of the problem? Ask yourself: how do you dispose of unused (legally prescribed) medication?
A study in South Carolina showed that out of the 128 million prescriptions filled each year in the state, 40% of the medication remains unused and is thrown out improperly. Many medications must be thrown out in a specific way; you can’t just throw them out or flush them, because both methods can result in contaminating the water supply.
Drug waste that isn’t properly disposed of can leach into local receiving waters, travel to water treatment facilities for processing, and is then redistributed to residential areas. The end result is chronic, low-level exposure to anyone that drinks the water.
The impact of this low-level exposure can be severe; it’s one way that bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics, which results in some 65,000 deaths each year. The FDA has clear guidelines on how to dispose of expired or unwanted medicines. If you a really don’t want to be a part of the problem, it’s important to follow their guidelines.
Regardless of your stance on the current legalization debate, there’s no denying the environmental impacts of drug trade imports – both legal and illegal alike. Everything from cocaine to legal household medications are already causing global damage, making it clear that drug addiction hurts more than just the user; it impacts the entire planet.
Daniel Faris is a freelance blogger and journalist from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He covers political trends on Only Slightly Biased. You can also join his alter ego over at New Music Friday for discussions about progressive music, or follow him on Twitter.
graphic via shutterstock.com