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