Today, drugs are one of the most negatively profiled items in the world. One of the biggest exporters in the world is Colombia. Their influence in the drug trade reaches all the way back to the 1980's when brutal cartels were dominant. Today, Colombia's trade still exists and is as strong as ever. Drug trafficking has an influence on Colombia and the world because of the role it plays in destroying the environment, causing civil unrest, and affecting the economy.
While many drugs are produced and manufactured in Colombia, most materials used in making the drugs are not. Coca paste/ coca plants are grown and made in Bolivia and Peru and then shipped into Colombia where they are turned into cocaine using other chemicals (Colombia C3). In the …show more content…
There is a substantial amount of violence in Colombia and while drug cartels are brutal, paramilitary groups and bigger organized crime institutions contribute to more of the violence; the cartels are simply their scapegoats, which is something that is not always noted (Human J3). Another difference is that between drug trafficking and drug selling. Drug trafficking is the transportation and distributing of drugs between sellers while drug selling is going to people and towns, pushing the product that was received from the people trafficking the drugs (Calderon B1). One other thing that is not always apparent is the difference between drug trafficking and organized crime. Once again drug trafficking is simply the transportation and organization of drugs. Organized crime, however, is the extortion and exploitation of political figures and civilians (Calderon B3). Drug trafficking can, however, be funding for organized crime (Calderon …show more content…
Farmers have cut down 2.4 million hectares of rain forest to make room for crops used in drug production such coca or opium (Drug Enforcement). So much of the rain forest is being destroyed because of the demand for illegal drugs that is caused by drug trafficking. In a world without the production and shipment of drugs, most of these trees would not have been cut down. A piece the rain forest the size of El Salvador would still exist. The cutting of trees also harms the soil. Because of all of the cutting, the soil is more likely to erode, which causes flooding (Drug Enforcement). This flooding, depending on how severe, can cause damage to the soil in areas surrounding the deforested areas. It can also harm human dwellings if they are close enough to the deforestation. This all happens because of drugs and drug
While many drugs are produced and manufactured in Colombia, most materials used in making the drugs are not. Coca paste/ coca plants are grown and made in Bolivia and Peru and then shipped into Colombia where they are turned into cocaine using other chemicals (Colombia C3). In the …show more content…
There is a substantial amount of violence in Colombia and while drug cartels are brutal, paramilitary groups and bigger organized crime institutions contribute to more of the violence; the cartels are simply their scapegoats, which is something that is not always noted (Human J3). Another difference is that between drug trafficking and drug selling. Drug trafficking is the transportation and distributing of drugs between sellers while drug selling is going to people and towns, pushing the product that was received from the people trafficking the drugs (Calderon B1). One other thing that is not always apparent is the difference between drug trafficking and organized crime. Once again drug trafficking is simply the transportation and organization of drugs. Organized crime, however, is the extortion and exploitation of political figures and civilians (Calderon B3). Drug trafficking can, however, be funding for organized crime (Calderon …show more content…
Farmers have cut down 2.4 million hectares of rain forest to make room for crops used in drug production such coca or opium (Drug Enforcement). So much of the rain forest is being destroyed because of the demand for illegal drugs that is caused by drug trafficking. In a world without the production and shipment of drugs, most of these trees would not have been cut down. A piece the rain forest the size of El Salvador would still exist. The cutting of trees also harms the soil. Because of all of the cutting, the soil is more likely to erode, which causes flooding (Drug Enforcement). This flooding, depending on how severe, can cause damage to the soil in areas surrounding the deforested areas. It can also harm human dwellings if they are close enough to the deforestation. This all happens because of drugs and drug