21st Century Debates
The Drugs Trade

The highly successful 21st Century Debates series looks at the enormous social and political issues in society at the start of the new millennium. The Drugs Trade looks at the complex web that links people across the world - from the Afghan poppy farmer to the London heroin addict. The drugs trade is now a huge global industry - generating more income than the tourist industry - and this book looks at why this is so and the measures governments have taken to combat it. It presents the facts about the production, distribution and use of illegal drugs and asks how the supply and demand of drugs can be reduced.
Throughout the book there are differing viewpoints, facts and debates which show the complexity of the drugs trade and the issues it raises.

 

 

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The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has lots of information about international drug control issues.
15 Drugscope, the UK's leading independent centre of expertise on drugs, provides a glossary and in depth information about a range of legal and illegal drugs.
20 This BBC website gives an interactive guide to the major drug producing countries.
35 This BBC website gives an interactive guide to the main countries involved in drug trafficking - including an audio report on drug trafficking and use in Iran.
43 This government site gives you information about different drugs, drugs and the law, the risks involved in drug taking and has a quiz to test your knowledge.
43 This government website gives you more information about the health risks associated with drug taking as well as an interactive look at some of the myths surrounding drugs.
46 A Guardian article about the effects of chemical spraying of coca in the Andes.
48 This United Nations website gives you more information about their alternative development approach - an approach that encourages farmers to produce non drug-related crops.
59 A Guardian article which presents an argument for the legalization of drugs.
59 On this Channel Four website Harry Shapiro, director of communications at Drugscope, summarizes the arguments for and against reform of the drug laws.