- Total U.S. aid to Colombia over the seven years between 2000 and 2006: $4.72 billion
- Amount of the above that went to Colombia’s military and police forces: $3.84 billion (81% of total)
- Rank of Colombia in the world, in both military aid and total aid: 5th, behind Iraq, Israel, Afghanistan and Egypt
- Ratio of square miles of coca sprayed to square miles of coca reduced: 30 to 1
- Approximate cost of fumigating one square mile, conservative estimate: $162,000
- Price, by a second measurement from the Drug Czar’s office, of a gram of cocaine on U.S. streets in July 2003: $210
- Price, by the same second measurement from the Drug Czar’s office, of a gram of cocaine on U.S. streets in September 2005: $170
Monday, January 23, 2006
Cost of war on drugs
Some numbers from Colombia, courtesy of Blue Force and Democracy Arsenal.
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3 comments:
I didn't know either, since I stick with crank. But, cigs,... I'll have to move to Minnesota.
cost to Columbian society? Priceless
The futility of it is what amazes me. In 2005, John Walters declared methamphetamines the #1 drug used in the US. It is made in the US with products of US pharmaceutical and chemical companies. So, why focus on Colombia or Afghanistan instead of unemployment, despair or boredom?
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