How The Coronavirus Is Disrupting The Drug Trade

People are going crazy at grocery stores getting canned goods and toilet paper. This panic is causing people to buy way more than they need. Just like the shortage of toilet paper and canned goods, there will be a shortage of illegal drugs in the US. It’s already starting to happen.

Something you may not think about is how the Coronavirus is going to affect the drug trade. I’m a recovering heroin/cocaine addict this is where my brain naturally goes during crazy times like this. I think about all the addicts and the disruption that is beginning to happen. This disruption will continue to have ripple effects throughout the world and specifically in the US over the next 3-4 months.

Coronavirus Disrupting Trade

Each day we are hearing about more businesses closing, or halting work, more public spaces shut down, and more restrictions on movement and travel.

All the disruption in trade, flights, travel, and general movement around the world, is creating a shortage of illegal drugs. Drugs get in the US through cargo ships, flights (both public flights and private), boats and personal crafts, (fishing boats, speed boats, submarines, cargo boats), cars, cargo trucks (18-wheelers), tunnels under the border, and human carriers. Every single one of those travel methods, (except tunnels and submarines) are going to be affected by the Coronavirus and all the restrictions put on travel and movement.

Cocaine, Heroin, Meth, and even Marijuana are all going to be affected by Coronavirus travel restrictions.

** In Italy if a person in a quarantined area is caught going anywhere that is not considered necessary (pharmacy, bank, grocery store, doctor) they can face up to 3 years in jail. **

Heightened Security and Less Travel

An unintended consequence of enhanced screening and extra health tests being done at the borders is people may get caught with illegal substances that they usually would have had an easier time smuggling into the US.

Along with the enhanced screening of individual people at borders and airports, not as much cargo, in general, is coming over the border. Businesses all over the country are not ordering as many supplies as usual because they are cutting staff and making workers work from home.

Drug dealers rely on these cargo trucks and ships to hide their drugs. If the normal number of 18 wheelers coming over the border is cut by even 20%, that is 20% fewer opportunities the dealers have to hide drugs. If the border patrol has fewer vehicles and trucks to inspect they can do a better job screening each truck, because they are not so overwhelmed, thus they will inevitability have more busts.

Vice news article on Coronavirus and drug trade

Click here for an article on – 21 Unbelievable Facts About Global Drug Use

The End-User

The last stop of all drugs is the user. When each one of those stops on the supply chain is affected, even by a small margin, then end-user is going to get lower quality drugs, that cost more money.

When heroin demand starts to go up and the supply is going to get cut because of less movement and travel, addicts will have to start paying higher prices and getting smaller quantities. This could result in more addicts being sick and going into withdrawal because they can’t get the drugs they want and need.

When a drug addict is in withdrawal and can’t get the drugs they want they will often become increasingly desperate. This is a dangerous thing for the community.

Hopefully, when these addicts who can’t find heroin and other drugs, begin to go into withdrawal, they will use this time to reflect and say, maybe its time to get clean and sober.

But from experience, I can tell you that even if an addict can’t get heroin for the next 3 months, without treatment and a solid recovery program, they will use again the second they can get more.

Cocaine Trade

98% of the world’s coca leaves are grown in 3 countries: Columbia, Bolivia, and Peru. The drugs are funneled through Central American countries, through Mexico, and into the US. Once into the US they start in the southern border states and make their way up to all the states in 18 wheelers, and personal vehicles.

Interesting fact: Cost For a Kilo Of Cocaine:

Columbia- $2500

Panama, Nicaragua (central america) – $7000 – $12,000

Southern Mexico – $12,000-$15,000

Northern Mexico – $15,000-$20,000

Texas, Arizona (southern US) – $25,000

After the drugs get in the US the price rises roughly 1-2 thousand every time in crosses a state line heading North. By the time it get to NY it’s $30,000 or more.

This entire process is going to be affected at every step as more countries, states, and towns are putting travel restrictions and bans into effect.

People in general including drug dealers are not able to move as freely as they were before all the restrictions, business closures, and a general cut back on travel and trade.

Heroin Trade

Most of the heroin around the world is made in one of 3 places: Afghanistan, the Golden Triangle (An area that intersects China, Laos, and Myanmar) or Mexico. The drugs from Afghanistan and the Golden Triangle are usually brought to Mexico because they have an easier time getting it into Mexico than the US. Once in Mexico, it’s sold to the cartels which have more capabilities of getting it into the US.

Meth is in this category as well. Much of the high-grade meth in the world is made in Mexico and the Golden Triangle.

Shortage of Clean Needles

Clean syringes for addicts is necessary to help keep them, and the overall community safe. I live in NY state and in NY as long as you are 18 years old you can go to any pharmacy and buy a pack of clean needles. People who have a health condition that requires syringes are buying extra needles to stock up in case a quarantine goes into effect. Hospitals, doctors’ offices, and Urgent Care centers are all ordering extra syringes and medical supplies to prepare for the influx of patients.

Check out this article for more items drug addicts use: 16 Common Items You Didn’t Know Drug Addicts Use

This is having another unintended consequence on addicts who are trying to go to the pharmacy and buy clean needles. When drug users can’t get clean needles, they are reusing old needles or sharing needles with others. This will cause infection to spread more rapidly within the drug community and eventually into the regular community.

Some of you reading this may say “giving addicts clean needles just enables them”. You’re kinda right but it is still the right thing to do. No drug user is ever going to say “I can’t get clean needles so I guess I’ll stop using drugs”. That does not and will not happen. So giving or selling addicts clean needles not only helps protect them from spreading disease and infection, it helps the overall community.

Drug addicts still work jobs and have relationships with people not involved in the drug community. If diseases like Hep-C or HIV are spreading within IV drug-using communities it will eventually leak out into the regular community. Drug users have sex with people in the regular community, they work regular jobs, and many like myself get into recovery. Keeping diseases from spreading within the addiction community is actually beneficial for the community as a whole.

Use This Time For Good

Overall life is going to change for many people. It is never good when people are sick and dying but some good can come out of this. I hope and wish everyone the best of luck and safety during this crazy time. For the drug users out there that will experience a disruption in their usual daily drug use, I implore you to use this time to make a change. Use this time to think about your life in active addiction and consider trying a different way: Sobriety. Recovery is possible and this is the perfect time to make a change.

Sources:

https://www.unodc.org/wdr2018/prelaunch/WDR18_Booklet_2_GLOBAL.pdf
https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/mexicos-cartels-and-economics-cocaine
http://www.newagebd.net/article/41744/tackle-graft-governance-to-stem-golden-triangle-meth-trade-unodc