Great Illusions: A Chronicle Of The Drug Wars

Mexican Seizures of Opum and Heroin, 1987-1991/Estimated Opium Production, 1979-1991

2010-05-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

Opium

1987 -

1988 .16 metric tons

1989 -

1990 .40 metric tons

1991 .10 metric tons

Heroin

1987 .04 metric tons

1988 .07 metric tons

1989 .93 metric tons

1990 .10 metric tons

1991 .15 metric tons

(Drug Trafficking In The Americas, ed. by William Walker, p.387)

Estimated Opium Production, 1979-1991

1979 9-12 metric tons

1980 17 metric tons

1981 16 metric tons

1982 17 metric tons

1983 17 metric tons

1984 21 metric tons

1985 28.4 metric tons

1986 20-40 metric tons

1987 50 metric tons

1988 50 metric tons

1989 66 metric tons

1990 62 metric tons

1991 41 metric tons

(Drug Trafficking In The Americas, ed. by William Walker, p.385)

Mexico: Estimated Share Of Drugs Production (Opium) [in per cent]

1987 2.23%

1988 1.73%

1989 1.67%

1990 1.76%

1991 1.07%

(Drug Trafficking In The Americas, ed. by William Walker, p.387)

Mexico: Seizures of Opium [expressed as per cent of estimated domestic production]

1987 -

1988 .32%

1989 -

1990 .64%

1991 .24%

(Drug Trafficking In The Americas, ed. by William Walker, p.387)

Worldwide Production of Opium and Heroin, 1986-1990

2010-05-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

Opium

Afghanistan 1986: 400-500 metric tons; 1987: 400-800 metric tons; 1988: 700-800 metric tons; 1989: 585 metric tons; 1990: 500-800 metric tons

Iran 1986: 200-400 metric tons; 1987: 200-400 metric tons; 1988: 200-400 metric tons; 1989: 300 metric tons; 1990: 200-400 metric tons

Pakistan 1986: 160-160 [sic] metric tons; 1987: 190-220 metric tons; 1988: 190-220 metric tons; 1989: 130 metric tons; 1990: 118-128 metric tons

Total SW Asia 1986: 740-1,060 metric tons; 1987: 790-1420 metric tons; 1988 1090-1,420 metric tons; 1989: 1,015 metrics tons; 1990: 818-1,328 metric tons

Myanmar 1986: 770-1,100 metric tons; 1987: 925-1,230 metric tons; 1988: 1,065-1,500 metric tons; 1989: 2,025 metric tons; 1990: 2,780 metric tons

Laos 1986: 100-290 metric tons; 1987: 150-300 metric tons; 1988: 210-300 metric tons; 1989: 375 metric tons; 1990: 300-450 metric tons

Thailand 1986: 20-25 metrics tons; 1987: 20-45 metric tons; 23-33 metric tons; 1989: 50 metric tons; 1990: 40 metric tons

Total SE Asia 1986: 820-1,415 metric tons; 1987: 1,095-1,575 metric tons; 1988: 1,298-1,833 metric tons; 1989: 3,050 metric tons; 1990: 3,120-3,270 metric tons

Guatemala 1989: 14 metric tons; 1990: 6 metric tons

Mexico 1986: 35-50 metric tons; 1987: 45-55 metric tons; 1988: 45-55 metric tons; 1989: 85 metric tons; 1990: 85 metric tons

Lebanon 1989: 45 metric onts; 1990: 45 metric tons

World total 1986: 1595-2,525 metric tons; 1987: 1,930-3,050 metric tons; 1988: 2,433-3,308 metric tons; 1989" 4,209 metric tons; 1990: 4,074-4,734 metric tons

(Terrorism & Drug Trafficking in the 1990s, ed. by Alison Jamieson, 1990; p.83)

The Colombian Cocaine Trade

2010-01-30T22:40:00.000-08:00

Estimated U.S. Cocaine Supply, 1984

63 tons

James Mills, Underground Empire, 1986, p.1124-1125
_______________________________________________

Estimated U. S. Cocaine Supply, c.1986

Total: 45 metric tons = 49.6 short tons = 99,200 lbs. = 45,000,000 grams

[from Bolivian sources, mostly refined in Colombia: 25 metric tons]

(Global Connection, p.338)

US refined Cocaine HCl supply from Medellin, Colombia: 40 metric tons

(Global Connection, p.339)
___________________________________

From Terrorism and Drug Trafficking in the 1990s, 1991, edited by Alison Jamieson

Total Amount of Cocaine HCl Refined in Colombia

1988: 508 metric tons (508,000,000 grams)

1989: 566 metric tons (566,000,000 grams)

(Terrorism 1990s, p.82-83)
___________________________________

Cocaine Seizures in Colombia

1988 18.70 tons / 1989 30.3 tons / 1990 44.9 tons / 1991 69.60 tons

Drug Trafficking In The Americas, 1992
____________________________________

Colombian Cocaine Crop

1986: 12,000-13,600mt; 1987: 18,000-23,000mt; 1988: 19,000-24,200mt; 1989: 33,487mt; 1990:33,360mt

(Terrorism 1990s, p.82)
____________________________________________________

Colombian Coca Crop, 1991

(note: a statistic providing an estimation for the hectares of coca cultivated in Colombia is not provided)

Coca Crop Eradication, 1991

Army 100 hectares / Navy 196 hectares /AF - / Police 129 hectares / DAS 1 hectare

Total 426 hectares = 1053 acres

(1 hectare = 2.5 acres....[more accurately, 2.47 acres])

Drug Trafficking, 1992, p.139
____________________________________

U.S. Anti-Narcotics Assistance To Colombia, 1989-1991

Military aid 1989 $73.1 million / 1990 $93.2 million / 1991 $52 billion

Law Enforcement 1989 $10.0 million / 1990 $20.0 million / 1991 $20 million

Economic Assistance 1989 $2.8 million / 1990 $2.1 million / 1991 $49.8 million

Total (calculation by researcher, not found in original document)

1989 $85.9 million / 1990 $115.3 million / 1991 $121.8 millon

Drug Trafficking, 1992, p.138
____________________________________

Whitewash, 1990 by Simon Strong

Precursor Chemicals

Amount of Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) lab solvent sold in Colombia by Holanda Colombia (division of HCI)

1989 358 tons / 1992 1,960 tons

1993 4,057 tons

Holanda storage and teminal sister company sales of MEK

1993/8000 tons

(Whitewash, p.119)
________________________________________________________

From Drug Trafficking In The Americas, 1992

Precursor Chemicals Confiscated by Colombian Authorities, 1991

A list of several chemicals is provided: amounts are in gallons. Seeking the Methyl Ethyl Ketone Statistic on the list, the nearest acronym found was "MEC".

Amount of MEC confiscated, 1991: 70079 "GLS" (the acronym GLS is not explained; I'm presuming it means "gallons.")

1 gallon MEK = approximately 6.7 lbs.

70079 x 6.7 = 469,529.3 lbs. / 2.2 = 213,422.4 kg = 213 tons
_______________________________________________________________

Amount of U.S. Anti-Narcotics Aid to Colombia in 1991, divided by Acres Of Eradicated Coca

(calculated by researcher, from figures provided above)

$121,800,000 / 1053 acres =

$115,670/acre
______________________________________________

Colombian Anti-Narcotics Activities 1991

Drug Traffickers Captured

Colombians Army 215/ Navy 24 /AF 2 /Police 1153 /DAS 113 Total 1507

Foreigners Army - /Navy - /AF 2/ Police 21/ DAS 3 .................Total 26
________________________________________________________________

Cocaine Source Country Dollar Export Earnings, 1989 (billions of dollars) (roughly estimated. ed.)

Colombia 1989: $1.5-4 billion (equivalent to 29-77% legal exports, 4-10% national GDP)

(Terrorism 1990s, p.18)
_____________________________________________

Whitewash, by Simon Strong, 1991

Colombian Revenue From The Drug Trade (all illegal drugs produced in the country- primarily cocaine, marijuana, heroin)

1993 Colombian government judicial authorities estimate- $5 billion

1993 U. S. government law enforcement agencies estimate- $7 billion

The Peruvian Cocaine Trade

2010-01-30T19:07:00.000-08:00

Peru

Huallaga River Valley

1975 2,500 acres coca leaf

1980 15,000 acres

1990 200,000 acres (UN figures)

Total Peru

500,000 acres

Simon Strong, Shining Path, 1992)

The Bolivian Cocaine Trade

2010-01-30T17:17:00.000-08:00

Time needed for coca plant to mature- 14-26 months (2 months to seedling; 12-24 months after transplanting)

Number of coca crops harvestable per year 2-6, depending on climactic conditions

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/GovPubs/COCCCP.htm
___________________________________________________

Bolivian Coca Leaf Production

1845 3,579 Metric Tons Dalence

1930 3,067 Metric Tons Morales (Yungas region)

1950 4,830 Metric Tons Censo Agropecuario

1952 3,987 Metric Tons Aduana de La Paz

1965 5,517 Metric Tons INE

1970 6,000 Metric Tons INE

1971 2,666 Metric Tons UMSS (Universidad Mayor de San Simeon, Cochabamba) (Chapare region)

8/18/1971 Military Coup Led by Hugo Banzer Suarez

1970s under Banzer, first paved road opens the Chapare (Cochabamba province) to vehicle traffic; Chapare coca production eventually rises to 70% of national total, from 5-10% before the road access. Banzer regime also constructs an International Airport in Santa Cruz de Sierra, in the Chapare.

1973 9,400 Metric Tons INE

11/07/1974 Banzer "autogolpe" (martial law declared)

1975 11,800 Metric Tons INE

1977 15,600 Metric Tons INE

1977 Banzer promises elections for 1978, due to Carter "human rights" pressure on Banzer

[Yungas 5,691 Metric Tons SIC]

[Chapare 19,512 Metric Tons SIC]

[Total 25,503 Metric Tons (SIC) (calculation by cabdriver)]

1978 18,860 Metric Tons INE

15,410 Metric Tons PRODES

25,248 Metric Tons DNSP

8,651 Metric Tons OCPFHC

7/1978 "bloodless" military coup by Banzer's hand-picked successor, Gen. Juan Pereda Asbon

11/1978 Pereda regime succeded in another "bloodless coup" by General David Padilla Arancibia

1979 22,000 Metric Tons INE

8/08/1979 following inconclusive elections, interim president MNRA party leader Guevara Arze appointed

11/1979 Arze ousted in military coup led by Colonel Alberto Natusch Busch

12/1979 Busch steps down to hand over power to MNR leader Lydia Guelier Tejada

1980 58,275 Metric Tons (SEC) [Chapare region]

5/80 Lydia Guelier Tejada calls elections, new civilian government (UDP 38% plurality); Hernan Siles Suazo expected to be sworn in 8/6/1980

7/17/80 Cocaine Coup

1981 64,275 Metric Tons (SEC)

1982 82,000 Metric Tons (SEC)

(above from Dunkerley, Rebellion In The Veins, 1984, p.313.)

Banco de Agricola

69.94% of Bolivian Agricultural credit is provided to Santa Cruz de Sierra (Chapare region), 1970-1975

71% of Bolivian Regional Development Corporations budgets is provided to Santa Cruz de Sierra (Chapare region), 1970-1975

Total legitimate agricultural exports 1972 $28.4 million; 1973 $45.4 million; 1974 $70.1 million; 1975 $63.0 million; 1976 $88.6 million; 1977 $93.1 million; 1978 $86.6 million (Total 1972-1978 = $475.2 million)

(above from Dunkerley, Rebellion In The Veins, 1984, p.221.)

1983 54,178.57 tons coca leaf

15,714.28 tons "properly accounted for"

38,303.57 tons "unaccounted for", presumably refined into =

191.51 tons of cocaine sulfate paste =

76.7 tons of refined powder cocaine HCl in labs in Colombia

(Freemantle, The Fix, 1987 ed., p.231)

[Note: The Freemantle material is unsourced and unreferenced by entry; a general bibliography of sources appears at the end of the book.]

1992

80,000 tons coca leaf

52,000 hectares (approx. 115,000 acres)

1992 total value to Bolivia $200-$370 million

(Painter 1992) via Walker, Drug Trafficking In The Americas 1993?)

Statistics Cache: The Global Cocaine Trade

2010-01-18T20:32:00.000-08:00

From Terrorism and Drug Trafficking in the 1990s, 1991, edited by Alison Jamieson

Total Amount of Cocaine HCl Refined in Colombia

1988: 508 metric tons (508,000,000 grams)

1989: 566 metric tons (566,000,000 grams)

(Terrorism 1990s, p.82-83)
__________________________________________________________________

Cocaine Seized by Interdiction In Europe

Spain 1988: 3,450kg

Netherlands 1988: 517kg; 1989: 1,425kg; March 1990- single bust netted 3,000kg

Great Britain 1988 285kg; 1989 425kg

Total Europe

1987 3,970kg = 3.97 metric tons = 4.38 short tons (US measure; 2000 tons) = 8,760 lbs.

1988: 6,994kg = 6.994 metric tons = 7.7 short tons (US measure; 2000 lbs) = 15,400 lbs

(Terrorism 1990, p.71, p.90)

___________________________________________________________

From The Global Connection, By Ben Whitaker, Publisher: Jonathan Cape London, 1987

Estimated U. S. Cocaine Imports, c.1986

Total: 45 metric tons = 49.6 short tons = 99,200 lbs. = 45,000,000 grams

[from Bolivian sources, mostly refined in Colombia: 25 metric tons]

(Global Connection, p.338)

US refined Cocaine HCl supply from Medellin, Colombia: 40 metric tons

(Global Connection, p.339)

Estimated Coca Leaf Production, Bolivia: 160,000 metric tons

(Global Connection, p.338)
_________________________________________________________________

Drug Trafficking in the Americas, 1992

Colombian Coca Crop, 1991

(note: a statistic providing an estimation for the hectares of coca cultivated in Colombia is not provided)

Coca Crop Eradication, 1991

Army 100 hectares / Navy 196 hectares /AF - / Police 129 hectares / DAS 1 hectare

Total 426 hectares = 1053 acres

(1 hectare = 2.5 acres....[more accurately, 2.47 acres])

Drug Trafficking, 1992, p.139
_________________________________________________

Total Federal Budget of the United States for the Control of Drugs, 1988-1992 (in percentages)

For Supply 1988 70.3% / 1989 71.2% / 1990 69.9% / 1991 67.9% /1992 68.6%

For Demand 1988 25.9% / 1989 5.2% / 1990 26.6% /1991 28.0% / 1992 27.2%

For Research 1988 3.8% / 1989 3.6% / 1990 3.5% / 1991 4.1% / 1992 4.2%

Drug Trafficking, 1992, p.141
___________________________________________________

U.S. Anti-Narcotics Assistance To Colombia, 1989-1991

Military aid 1989 $73.1 million / 1990 $93.2 million / 1991 $52 billion

Law Enforcement 1989 $10.0 million / 1990 $20.0 million / 1991 $20 million

Economic Assistance 1989 $2.8 million / 1990 $2.1 million / 1991 $49.8 million

Total (calculation by researcher, not found in original document) 1989 $85.9 million / 1990 $115.3 million / 1991 $121.8 millon

Drug Trafficking, 1992, p.138
__________________________________________________________________

World Production of Cocaine 1988 587.4 tons / 1989 596.10 tons / 1990 611.90 / 1991 662.2 tons

Seizures in Colombia 1988 18.70 tons / 1989 30.3 tons / 1990 44.9 tons / 1991 69.60 tons

Drug Trafficking In The Americas, 1992
______________________________________________________________

Whitewash, 1990 by Simon Strong

Precursor Chemicals

Amount of Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) lab solvent sold in Colombia by Holanda Colombia (division of HCI)

1989 358 tons / 1992 1,960 tons

1993 4,057 tons

Holanda storage and teminal sister company sales of MEK

1993/8000 tons

(Whitewash, p.119)
______________________________________________________________

From Drug Trafficking In The Americas, 1992

Precursor Chemicals Confiscated by Colombian Authorities, 1991

A list of several chemicals is provided: amounts are in gallons. Seeking the Methyl Ethyl Ketone Statistic on the list, the nearest acronym found was "MEC".

Amount of MEC confiscated, 1991: 70079 "GLS" (the acronym GLS is not explained; I'm presuming it means "gallons.")

1 gallon MEK = approximately 6.7 lbs.

70079 x 6.7 = 469,529.3 lbs. / 2.2 = 213,422.4 kg = 213 tons
_______________________________________________________________

Coca Leaf Production in Three Countries in South America

( mt = metric ton = 1,000kg = 1,000,000 grams = 2200 lbs. avoirdupois )

Bolivia 1986: 44,000-52,920mt; 1987: 46,000-67,000mt; 1988: 57,445-78,355mt; 1989: 65,998mt; 1990: 64,000mt

Colombia 1986: 12,000-13,600mt; 1987: 18,000-23,000mt; 1988: 19,000-24,200mt; 1989: 33,487mt; 1990:33,360mt

Peru 1986: 95,000-120,000mt; 1987: 98,000-121,000mt; 1988: 97,000-124,000mt; 1989: 123,828mt; 1990: 108,544mt

Total Coca Acreage 1986: 152,000-187,520mt; 1987: 162,400-211,400mt; 1988: 173,745-227,055mt; 1989: 223,583mt; 1990: 206,074mt

( Terrorism 1990s, p.82)
________________________________________________________________

est. total Andean coca leaf production

1996 550,000 metric tons

estimated U.S. cocaine retail profit @ $175/gm $53 billion

Robin Kirk, More Terrible Than Death, 2003, p.240

[no footnotes]
________________________________________________________________

Colombian Anti-Narcotics Activities 1991

Drug Traffickers Captured

Colombians Army 215/ Navy 24 /AF 2 /Police 1153 /DAS 113 Total 1507

Foreigners Army - /Navy - /AF 2/ Police 21/ DAS 3 .................Total 26
________________________________________________________________

Amount of U.S. Anti-Narcotics Aid to Colombia in 1991, divided by Acres Of Eradicated Coca

(calculated by researcher, from figures provided above)

$121,800,000 / 1053 acres =

$115,670/acre
________________________________________________________________

Cocaine Source Country Dollar Export Earnings, 1989 (billions of dollars) (roughly estimated. ed.)

Peru 1989: $1-1.8 billion (equivalent to 38-69% of legal exports, 2.4-4.6% national GDP)

Colombia 1989: $1.5-4 billion (equivalent to 29-77% legal exports, 4-10% national GDP)

Bolivia 1989: $.8-1.2 billion (equivalent to 150% of legal exports, 19-23% of national GDP)

(Terrorism 1990s, p.18)

_____________________________________________________________

1000kg coca leaf = 25kg cocaine sulfate paste = 10kg base = 9kg - <10kg refined cocaine HCl

(James Inciardi, The War On Drugs II, 1992, p.88)

Conversion of coca leaf into cocaine

1 metric ton/1000 kg coca leaf = 16kg refined cocaine HCl. cut for street use

$2000-$4000/mt coca leaf = 16kg dilute cocaine @est.$400,000 (per kg price varies)

est. U.S. wholesale cost 1 kg refined cocaine HCl 1981 $65,000/kg; 1989 $14,000/kg; 1990 $30-35,000/kg

(James Inciardi, The War On Drugs II, 1992, p.90)

_____________________________________________________________

Pipe Dream Blues, by Clarence Lusane, 1991

Florida Banks Cash Surplus

1970- $576 million

1976- $1.5 billion

1982- $5.2 billion

Pipe Dream Blues, p.95
______________________________________________

Whitewash, by Simon Strong, 1991

Colombian Revenue From The Drug Trade (all illegal drugs produced in the country- primarily cocaine, marijuana, heroin) , 1993

Colombian government judicial authorities estimate- $5 billion

U. S. government law enforcement agencies estimate- $7 billion

......................................................................................................................................................

Total Amount of Money Laundered Globally, 1993

1993- $400 billion USD (estimate is referenced as provided by Citibank)

Whitewash, p. 183-184
_____________________________________________________________

Statistics Cache #1: (estimated) Opium Production 1979-1990 (various sources)

2010-01-18T19:53:00.000-08:00

Opium Production (Estimated)

Source #1

(The Big Deal, Henman, p.19- UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs figures )

(mt = metric tons)

Iran 1979: 300mt; 1980: 400-600mt; 1981: 400-600mt; 1982: 400-600mt; 1983: 400-600mt

Afghanistan 1979: 270-300mt; 1980: 200mt; 1981: 225mt; 1982: 250-300mt; 1983: 400-575mt

Pakistan 1979: 800mt; 1980: 125mt; 1981: 85-100mt; 1982: 75mt; 1983: 63mt

total SW Asia 1979: 1370,1400mt; 1980: 725-925mt; 1981: 710-925mt; 1982: 725-925mt; 1983: 863-1,238mt

Burma 1979: 150-170mt; 1980: 500-550mt; 1981: 500mt; 1982: 500mt; 1983: 500-600mt

Laos 1979: 40mt; 1980: 50mt; 1981: 50mt; 1982: 50mt; 1983: 30-40mt

Thailand 1979: 10-15mt; 1980: 50mt; 1981: 50-60mt; 1982: 47-50mt; 1983: 30-35mt

Total SW Asia 1979: 200-225mt; 1980: 600-650mt; 1981: 600-610mt; 1982: 597:600mt; 1983: 560-675mt

Source #2

(from Terrorism and Drug Trafficking in the 1990s)

INSCR Report

Southwest Asia

Afghanistan 1986: 400-500mt; 1987: 400-800mt; 1988: 700-800mt; 1989: 585mt; 1990mt 500-800mt

Iran 1986: 200-400mt; 1987: 200-400mt; 1988: 200-400mt; 1989: 300mt; 1990: 200-400mt

Pakistan 1986: 160-160mt (sic); 1987: 190-220mt; 1988: 190-220mt; 1989: 130mt; 1990: 118-128mt

Total SW Asia 1986 740-1,060mt; 1987: 790-1,420mt; 1988: 1,090-1,420mt; 1989: 3,050mt; 1990: 818-1328mt

Southeast Asia ("Golden Triangle")

Myanmar 1986: 770-1,100mt; 1987: 925-1,230mt; 1988: 1,065-1,500mt; 1989: 2,625mt; 1990: 2,780mt

Laos 1986: 100-290mt; 1987: 150-300mt; 1988: 210-300mt; 1989: 375mt; 1990: 300-450mt

Thailand 1986: 20-25mt; 1987: 20-45mt; 1988: 23-33mt; 1989: 50mt; 1990: 40mt

Total SE Asia 1986: 820-1,415mt; 1987: 1,095-1,575mt; 1988: 1,298-1,833mt; 1989: 3,050 mt; 1990: 3,120-3,270mt

Latin America

Guatemala 1989: 14mt; 1990: 6mt

Mexico 1986: 35-50mt; 1987: 45-55mt; 1988: 45-55mt; 1989: 85mt; 1990: 85mt

(Colombia?)

Middle East (Lebanon only) 1989: 45mt; 1990 45mt

Estimated Total Global Opium Production

1986: 1,595-2,525mt; 1987: 1,930-3,050mt; 1988: 2,433-3,308mt; 1989: 4,209mt; 1990: 4,074-4,734mt

Reviving This Blog- Introduction (with a few notes on style)

2010-01-18T19:33:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's time I got back into the Drug War Chronicles.

I've decided to do this the fastest and most direct way possible. This isn't going to work like most blogs, where posts get published and are thereafter considered complete by the author.

Instead, you readers are going to be seeing my rough drafts, at least at the outset. I'm reserving the option to constantly and continually edit, expand, and update any given post that I put up. I'll be keeping track of my edits.

Some of my posts will take the form of raw data- quoting statistics. I'll also be quoting passages from my references that I consider particularly valluable and telling.

Other posts will be book reviews, of the books I consider most important to my research on the history of the American Drug War.

Other posts will provide historical narrative and interpretation, as best I'm able.

And there may even be a few posts that defy easy categorization.

I'll try to keep things focused, and keep some sense of connection between adjoining posts. But as I've said, mostly I just want to get posts up on the board. So arranging my posts into a fully coherent linear historical narrative will need to wait.

Time to get started.

Drug War Statistics, Part 1

2005-10-12T22:55:00.000-07:00

"Lies, damned lies, and statistics..." Mark Twain

Honestly, it isn't quite that bad. It isn't the numbers that lie; it's what happens when they're massaged, folded, spindled, mutilated, extracted, isolated, or otherwise manipulated in the service of an agenda other than the quest for an accurate glimpse of reality.

The statistics compiled in the course of engaging in the War on Drugs provide an abundance of lessons in that regard. This statistical interlude is intended as the first of a series. One of my goals is to use as many different statistical studies as I can find, on as many different topics as I consider worthwhile. These include such studies as drug crop statistics; estimates of wholesale market value; estimates of retail price; demographic surveys purporting to provide accurate estimates of use; police and medical statistics; drug law penalties, and as many other topics as appear relevant.

One of the things that will become appraent over time is the imprecision of some of the surveys, and the wide variation of estimates present in a range of plural studies- estimates of drug crop acreage and harvests and self-report surveys of illegal drug use are two examples where the numbers are elastic, often varying from study to study, even when attempting to measure the same nations and populations. Other statistics, such as drug seizures, and drug-related hospital admissions, arrests, and incarcerations are more reliable and precise. A maximum of detail is often needed to generate accurate insights from those numbers, though, even considering their overall reliability.

With those preliminary caveats in place, let's do the numbers.

These stats roughly coincide with the era of which I'm presently writing, the 1960s-1970s:

Cocaine Seizures by the U.S. Bureau of Customs, 1960-72

1960 11 pounds

1961 8 pounds

1962 19 pounds

1963 10 pounds

1964 28 pounds

1965 37 pounds

1966 45 pounds

1967 40 pounds

1968 98 pounds

1969 199 pounds

1970 227 pounds

1971 408 pounds

1972 619 pounds

(from Cocaine, by Richard Ashley, 1975, Warner Books; p.128- footnote credits gov't. doc.- U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, 92nd Congress)

Marijuana Arrests: State and Federal 1965-1971

State

1965 18,815

1966 31,119

1967 61,843

1968 98,870

1969 118,903

1970 188,682

1971 (missing)

Federal

1965 523

1966 746

1967 941

1968 1,433

1969 2,189

1970 2,082

1971 3,323

[ In 1971, at the Federal level, 60% of arrests led to convictions, 28.5% received prison sentences, and the average sentence was 39.9 months. Source: Drinks, Drugs, and Do-Gooders, by Prof. Charles E. Goshen, 1973: Free Press/MacMillan, p.215, citing Marihuana: A Signal Of Misunderstanding, First Report of the National commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse, March, 1972, US GPO doc.)]

Federal drug enforcement budget in 1969: $65,000,000

Federal drug enforcement budget in 1974: $719,000,000

[ From Smoke And Mirrors: The War On Drugs And The Politics Of Failure, by Dan Baum, 1996: Little, Brown, and Company; p.75. Endnote cites Hearings on Federal Drug Enforcement by the Senate Subcommittee on Investigations, 1975 and 1976, p.880. ]

Drug Consumption Demographic Survey, New York State, 1971 (estimates)

Tranquilizers 525,000
(Valium, Librium, Miltown)

Barbiturates
(Phenobarbital, Seconal, Tuinal) 377,000

Amphetamines
(Dexedrine, Methedrine, Benzedrine) 225,000

Marijuana 485,000
(50% reported using on the job)

Heroin 41,000
(6+ times per month)

(from Drinks, Drugs, and Do-Gooders, by Prof. Charles E. Goshen, 1973: Free Press/MacMillan, p.248- citing New York Narcotics Addiction Control Commission survey, 1971)

Number of prescriptions for psychoactive drugs written in 1970: 214,000,000

Amount spent by Americans in 1970 on legal spirits, wine, and beer: $24 billion

Amount spent by Americans in 1970 on illegal drugs (estimated): $2 billion

Number of Americans in 1969 who died from drugs, both legal and illegal: 1,601

Number of Americans in 1970 who died from drugs, both legal and illegal: 1,899

Number of Americans in 1971 who died from drugs, both legal and illegal: 2,313

[ From Smoke And Mirrors: The War On Drugs And The Politics Of Failure, by Dan Baum, 1996: Little, Brown, and Company; p.28, p.47, p.66. Mortality statistics are taken from Vital Statistics of The United States, Volume II: Mortality Part A, published by the US Cabinet agency formerly known as the Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare. ]

Nationwide Survey of Marijuana Use, 1972 (estimates)

At least 1 use- 24,000,000 Americans over age 11

details- "Until recently twice as many males as females had used it...Marijuana use does not appear to vary significantly by race...usage is highest in cities, towns, and suburbs, but not uncommon in rural areas. States in the Northeast and West have significantly higher rates of use than have the North Central...and Southern States. Use is found in all socio-economic groups and occupations...those who have used the drug are heavily concentrated in the 16-25 age bracket."

[From Goshen, p.211, citing the NCMDA Report, 1972 (op.cit.)]

U. Michigan Survey

Percentage of U.S. High School Seniors Using Marijuana, 1975

Previous 30 days- 27.1%

Daily- 6%

Percentage of U.S. High School Seniors Using Marijuana, 1978

Previous 30 days- 37.1%

Daily- 10.6%

Percentage of U.S. High School Seniors Using Alcohol, 1978

Previous 30 days- 72.1%

5 or more drinks at one sitting in previous 2 weeks- 40.3%

(From The Fix, by Michael Massing, p.150-151)

Percentage of U.S. High School Seniors Using Marijuana, 1980

previous 30 days- 33.7%

daily use- 9.1%

(From The Fix, by Michael Massing, p.189)

Marijuana Use by High School Seniors, 1981

previous 30 days- 25.2%

Cocaine Use by High School Seniors, 1981

previous 30 days- 5.8%

(From The Fix, by Michael Massing, p.169)

Percentage of U.S. High School Seniors Using Marijuana, 1988

previous 30 days- 18%

daily use- 2.7%

(From The Fix, by Michael Massing, p.189)

Percentage of U.S. High School Seniors Using Cocaine, 1985

previous 30 days- 6.7%

Percentage of U.S. High School Seniors Using Cocaine, 1988

previous 30 days- 3.4%

(From The Fix, by Michael Massing, p.198)

Percentage of U.S. High School Seniors Using Marijuana, 1992

previous year- 21.9%

previous 30 days- 11.9%

Percentage of U.S. High School Seniors Using Marijuana, 1993

previous year- 26%

previous 30 days- 15.5%

(From The Fix, by Michael Massing, p.213)

Percentage of U.S. High School Seniors Using Marijuana, 1994

daily use- 2.4%

cocaine use, previous 30 days- 1.3%

5 or more alcoholic drinks at one sitting, previous 2 weeks- 27.5%

(From The Fix, by Michael Massing, p.219)

cocaine-related deaths, 1980- 96

cocaine related deaths, 1988- 1,290

(From The Fix, by Michael Massing, p.190)

Estimated number of Intravenous Drug Users, New York City, early 1990s- 200,000 (OASAS estimate)

(From The Fix, by Michael Massing, p.23)

[Further References- Katzenbach Report, 1990; OASAS report; National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, done by the US Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration; U. Michigan's "Monitoring The Future" study of 8th/10th/12th grade HS students; National Narcotics Intelligence Consumers Committee annual report; National Drug Control Policy annual study, by US Office of Nnational Drug Control Policy.]

Wholesale price of a kilogram of cocaine, 1981- $60,000 Time magazine, July 6, 1981: p.59