Drug Flow Into U.S. Out Of Control - Says Government - Drug Abuse and Border-Fueled Crisis

Oct 13, 2026

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Drug abuse drives an uncontrolled flow of illegal drugs into the United States, with reports showing major growth in cocaine, marijuana, and heroin production between 1986 and 1987. Falling street prices increase access and demand, contributing to millions of users and tens of billions in annual spending. Much of the money fuels organized Latin American trafficking networks, including the Medellín Cartel, which also uses bribery and intimidation to weaken governments. The U.S. expands enforcement, yet the supply surge continues.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

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Drug Flow Into U.S.

Drug Flow and Government Report

Latin American Connection

Getting Tougher

Cutting Demand

ls the U.S.LosingThe WanAgainstDrugs? # Drug Flow Into U.S.OutOf Control,SaysGovernment A killer stalks the streets,alleyways,homes,schools,and businesses ofAmerica.It has already killed thousandsof people-young and old,rich and poor.It will kill again.And no one seems ableto stop it. The killer is drug abuse.And it isfueled by a tide of drugs flooding acrossour border from drug-producing nations.A March 2 Government report laid outthe facts:in little over one year-between1986 and 1987—the production of co-caine grew by 10 percent.Over the sameperiod the production of marijuanajumped 26 percent and production ofheroin rose 18 percent.So much moredrugs are now entering the U.S.,says thereport,that the price has dropped for anumber of important drugs,allowingmore people to buy.The street price fora kilogram(2,2 pounds)of cocaine,hasdropped from $30,000 to $10,000 sincelast year.The production and sale of drugsaround the world has grown so large,saysthe report,that “[drug traffic]is nowbeyond the ability of any single gov-ernment to control." The U.S.consumes an estimated 60percent of the illegal drugs produced inthe world.An estimated 18 millionAmericans use marijuana;6 mllion usecocaine;and over 500,000 are heroin ad-dicts.To maintain their habit,Americansshelled out an estimated $140 billion fordrugs in 1987. # Latin American Connection A large part of this money ends up inthe hands of"drug thugs"in LatinAmerica—criminals who have becomeboth rich and powerful by smugglingdrugs into the U.S.Most heroin and mar-ijuana used in the U.S.is produced inMexico.Colombia supplies nearly all thecocaine sold in the U.S. Smugglers bring drugs into the U.S.mainly by sea and by air.The long U.S.southern coastline from Florida to Texasis dotted with hidden coves and inlets—ideal places for boats to drop drug car-goes under cover of nightOther drugsmugglers use airplanes.Taking off fromisolated airports outside the U.S.,smug-glers fly low across the U.S.border at eowond night to unload shipments of marijuanaor cocaine at hidden drop sites. In countries like Colombia and Pan-ama,drug thugs use the billions of dol-lars they've made by selling drugs to bribepublic officials.Those they can't buy offor frighten,they often kill. The U.S.recently charged the dictatorof Panama,General Manuel Noriega,withdrug smuggling.Noriega,says the U.S.,has turned his country into a safe placefor Colombian cocaine and marijuanadealers.(See CE19).Top officials inHonduras,Mexico,and the Bahamas havealso reportedly aided the drug flow intothe U.S. The most powerful group of drug thugsis the Medellín Cartel,a group of fivemen headquartered in Medellín,Col-ombia's second-largest city.They are saidto control nearly all of the world's pro-duction and distribution of cocaine.TheU.S.has succeeded in capturing one ofthese men—Carlos Lehrer Rivas.Rivasis now on trial in Florida.But theremaining members of the cartel have Continued from Page 1 become even more powerful sinceRivas's capture. Two months ago,the cartel reportedlymurdered Colombia's attorney generalbecause he threatened to arrest and jaildrug smugglers.He was only the latestvictim of a long list of important Col-ombians reportedly wiped out by thecartel:The list also includes a JusticeMinister,21 judges,scores of policemenand soldiers,a newspaper editor,and morethan a dozen journalists who dared speakout against the drug trade. In many places in Colombia the cartelis more powerful than the government. “Drug money has contaminatedthe whole system,"says Col.OrlandoAngarita,a Colombian police com-mander.“There isn't any place that isclean [honest]anymore." Getting Tougher Since 1982,when President Reagan EDP粪配房 began his war on drugs,a beefed-up fleetof U.S.Coast Guard ships and borderpatrols have seized many tons of illegaldrugs entering the U.S.Hundreds of drugsmugglers have been arrested.But thishas hardly made a dent in the massiveflow of drugs across our borders. Critics

FAQs

What does the government report say about drug production entering the U.S.?

It states that cocaine production rose by 10 percent, marijuana jumped 26 percent, and heroin increased 18 percent within about one year, leading to much more supply and lower prices in the U.S.

How do smugglers bring drugs into the United States, according to the text?

They mainly use sea and air routes, including hidden coves and inlets for nighttime drop-offs and flights from isolated airports to unload shipments at concealed sites.

Why does the text say tougher U.S. enforcement has not stopped the drug flow?

It notes that, despite seized tons of drugs and arrests since 1982, the massive supply entering across borders continues, so enforcement alone has not made a dent.

Oct 13, 2026

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