illegal drug trade

History channel had an insightful program on Illegal drug trade in US. It presented a historic perspective of events that happened and why today the drug trade is humongous(yes, $420b)

From 1900-1914, there was no law against use of any drugs. Cocaine was the most common one. Artifacts shown in the program indicated that quacks sold cocaine in different packaging indicating that it was cure for cold, pain, heart, anxiety, etc. Even well-qualified physicians prescribed morphine and cocaine unrestricted.

Circa 1914: Finally, when constitutional amendment was made with Harrison Act possession of cocaine and several other drugs was made illegal. Trade was illegal ...but not stopped. As much as 5% of the population was addicted and withdrawal symptoms were horrible.

During the Great Depression demand was not present for the drugs. However, Vietnam war started use of the same in large quantities back again. 70s, 80s, 90s, saw the Columbian drug cartels making huge money off this illegal trade. No wonder.....Pablo Escobar was the seventh richest man in the world with his Medellin cartel - de la untouchables. Raegan era asked to reduce demand by generating awareness and educating masses about the harmful side-effects of the same. Opium was gotten rid of in China in a similar way. I can attribute the increasing use of cocaine in the US and the rest of the developed world to rising discretionary income due to the huge boom they had for all these decades coupled with the culture (lesser faith in religion and more attraction to materialism).

As of today, popular rappers are into drug dealing - say the 50 cents guy and Nassir Jones (aka Nas Escobar) and if not, then drug-consumers: popular folks such as Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and who can forget the Rolling Stones (they called cocaine as the champagne of drugs). There is a huge influence of all this on young minds - especially given the fact that at one time, Escobar controlled 80% of world's cocaine trade. World domination is every teenager's dream - more so of alpha males.

All in all, this was a nice documentary shown by History - I look forward to get the programming recorded in some ways and watch it - History channel rocks !