Damon Barrett discusses the negative consequences of the war on drugs in terms of security, development and human rights and highlights the need for an impact assessment of the current system of drug policy.
A comprehensive and authoritative collection of essays/chapters covering various aspects of the drugs war as it impacts on development and security issues.
The International Harm Reduction Association considers the consequences of drug crop eradication, a practice that causes considerable environmental damage and threatens the livelihoods of indigenous farmers.
A report from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies that highlights the failures of the current US drug strategy in Afghanistan. The author argues that, as shown in other countries such as Turkey, Pakistan and Thailand, better governance and economic development are the key factors for successful anti-drug campaigns.
During 2006 and 2007, several Republican members of Congress requested for the research into the fungus Mycoherbicides to be "fast-tracked", so that it could be used as an eradication method for opium and coca throughout parts of Afghanistan and Colombia. The authors emphasise the importance of a detailed, scientific investigation whilst evaluating crop control, as there are many environmental and human rights risks.
A paper highlighting the overlap between drug control and development agendas. It calls for a common understanding of how development outcomes can translate into drug control achievements, and an ethos of 'doing development in a drugs environment'.
Human Rights Watch documents human rights abuses that have resulted from drug enforcement laws and finds that some governments have used the war on drugs as justification for carrying out these abuses.
