Drug War Myths, Part 2

The US government has spent an estimated $1 trillion on their ‘war on drugs.’ But over 50 years later, the cross-border flows of illegal drugs, arms and money have increased. In the second part of a two part series, we look at the failed so-called ‘war on drugs’ - the movement to decriminalise, regulate and tax - opportunities, challenges for lower income nations, and the role of tax justice.

Featuring:

Associate Professor of International and Organised Crime at Bristol Law School, Dr Mary Young

Zara Snapp, co-founder of Instituto RIA

Sergio Chaparro Hernandez of the Tax Justice Network

Martin Drewry of Health Poverty Action

Max Gallien of the International Centre for Tax and Development and the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex

Eric Gutierrez, of the International Centre of Human Rights and Drug Policy

Taxcast host Naomi Fowler, co-produced with Jo Barratt of the Tax Justice Network

A transcript of the show available here: (some is automated) https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/The-Taxcast_Transcript_Oct_23.pdf 

Further reading:

Invest in Justice, Jamaica Case Study https://www.investinjustice.net 

Cannabis taxation – A new revenue source for development?   https://www.ictd.ac/blog/cannabis-taxation-revenue-development/ Max Gallien and Giovanni Occhiali

Diverse models of legalisation https://newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/high-income 

Inside Mexico’s war on drugs: Conversations with ‘el narco’  https://theconversation.com/inside-mexicos-war-on-drugs-conversations-with-el-narco-129865 

Poverty, gender and violence in the narratives of former narcos: accounting for drug trafficking violence in Mexico (Karina Garcia-Reyes) https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/193726176/Final_Copy_2018_11_06_Garcia_K_G_PhD_Redacted.pdf 

Debunking the Narco Myth: https://www.mexicoviolence.org/post/debunking-the-narco-myth

A world fit for money laundering: The Atlantic alliance’s undermining of organised crime control: Young, Mary Alice; Woodiwiss, Michael https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/5935899 

Organised crime and security threats in Caribbean Small Island Developing States: A Critical analysis of US assumptions and policies: Young, Mary; Woodiwiss, Michael https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/849208