The American Drug War in Colombia: Causes, Consequences, and New Policies for an Era of a Loosening Stance Against Drugs
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Date
2016-06
Authors
Kirkpatrick, Elizabeth
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
The United States has been fighting a War on Drugs since 1971. Although the
goal is to reduce the amount of drugs in the United States, the policies against drugs
extend to other countries where many of the drugs are produced. Colombia is a prime
example of that, the recipient of United States aid for decades, yet the goals of less
cocaine entering the United States from Colombia, a decrease in coca production, and
fewer cocaine users have not been achieved. Instead, there have been environmental,
economic, and civilian consequences that have seriously hurt Colombia as a country.
New policies are needed that target more than just coca production and cocaine
trafficking. There should be efforts to incentivize people to avoid coca production, to
increase the government's ability to act strongly, to create peace with guerrillas, and to
help all drug abusers and users. Hopefully the combination of all of the mentioned
policies will make a positive difference in the War on Drugs in Colombia and the
United States.
Description
63 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Political Science and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Spring 2016.
Keywords
Foreign policy, Colombia, Political science, Colombia, Cocaine, Reform, Policies, Drug war, Coca production