Abstract/Summary

Historically, the USA has dictated the terms of the ‘War on Drugs’, and has used its political and economic might to crush any debate on alternatives. However, over the past ten years Latin American governments and civil society organizations have pushed back against prohibitionist drug policies. A regional debate has emerged focused on the failure of present policies to achieve their desired objectives and the high cost of implementing supply reduction efforts in terms of drug fuelled violence, corruption and institutional instability. This chapter begins by outling the characteristics of the global cocaine market. It then examines some of the objectives, methods and consequences of the US-designed and -funded ‘war on drugs’ in Latin America and the Caribbean. The regional debate in Latin America is then introduced - with a focus on the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs. Finally localized steps towards drug policy reform are outlined.