Latin America has been a major source of illicit drugs in the United States for decades. Over the past fifteen years, the U.S. has spent more than $25 billion on source country eradication and interdiction. Despite these efforts, the price of cocaine and heroin are at record lows while purity is at a record high - evidence that these drugs are more available than ever. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), 82% of heroin in the U.S. comes from Latin America. Colombia alone produces three-quarters of the world's cocaine supply.
Eradication refers to attempts to eliminate drug crops while they are being grown. One major reason that eradication programs have failed is the tendency of drug crops to be displaced rather than eliminated. For example, during the mid 1990s eradication efforts in Bolivia and Peru created incentives to grow coca in Colombia. While Peru experienced a 66% reduction in coca cultivation and Bolivia experienced a 53% reduction, coca cultivation......
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