Afghan Heroin Washes Up in United States

I wish I could say that I was surprised. From the LA Times:

Supplies of highly potent Afghan heroin in the United States are growing so fast that the pure white powder is rapidly overtaking lower-quality Mexican heroin, prompting fears of increased addiction and overdoses.

Heroin-related deaths in Los Angeles County soared from 137 in 2002 to 239 in 2005, a jump of nearly 75% in three years, a period when other factors contributing to overdose deaths remained unchanged, experts said. The jump in deaths was especially prevalent among users older than 40, who lack the resilience to recover from an overdose of unexpectedly strong heroin, according to a study by the county's Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology.

"The rise of heroin from Afghanistan is our biggest rising threat in the fight against narcotics," said Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino. "We are seeing more seizures and more overdoses."
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In the United States, Afghan and Mexican poppies tied for second place among sources of heroin in 2004, according to the DEA's Heroin Signature Program. South America, led by top supplier Colombia, held 69% of the market.

That figure had dropped 19 percentage points from the 2003 level as U.S. and Colombian efforts to eradicate the trade enjoyed success and as Afghanistan's share increased, according to the DEA.

The Department of Homeland Security also has found evidence of increasing Afghan heroin in this country. The agency reported skyrocketing numbers of seizures of heroin arriving at U.S. airports and seaports from India, not a significant heroin-producing country but a major transshipment point for Afghan drugs.

The seizure of heroin packages from India increased from zero in 2003 to 433 in 2005 — more than 80% of total mail seizures of heroin arriving in the U.S. that year.

Yeah. Let's not use the U.S. military to take out heroin crops in Afghanistan. It's not as if there's any homeland defense doctrine about "fighting them over there so that we don't have to fight them over here." 

Comments

[Earl Kirkman]

You could almost say it's shades of 'Nam. When do we break the story of it coming back to the states in dead bodies ???

No way is this a lost cause, no siree bob. Hell fire, at least the taliban had the opium problem under control.

[jsf61]

There are more than a few problems with:

- Yeah. Let's not use the U.S. military to take out heroin crops in Afghanistan.

For one, its not like you will hurt the Talibs very much by such actions, instead you will weaken your allies like Karzi and Dostum who run the drug trade there,...

For two, you will drive the small farmers whos only cash crop, (after all, there has been no practical level of reconstruction) is the poppy and will, as the Brits found out in Hellimand Province, just drive them into the ranks of the Talib.

The best thing to do, but of course, because its rational, practical, cost effective but contrary to the desires of Big Pharma, will never happen,

is to legalise the growing, set up Government processing plants that advance cash for the farmers, pay a premium for the crop, ( allowing the small farmer to buy his way out from the sponsorship of the warlords) and process the opium into morphine and other opiates for Third World hospitals.

From what I hear, the few hospitals left running in Iraq could probably use the first years production all by themselves.

[fatima]

The same people who try to convince us that they are fighting drugs , are the ones benefiting a lot in Afghanistan . and if someone goes after them to expose them , he is found dead with a suicide note

Danny Casolaro ? Gary Webb??

[NVH]

JSF61, has a great point. Legalize it their, and here, and we get to legally kill all the worthless human beings involved with this stuff and profit from it. Then we won't have to worry about taxes, defense spending, whatever.
Fatima--conspiracy theories abound, if we legalize, they disappear, then the Drug Czar will have a real job to contend with.

ABCD stores for all!!