21 April 2003
U.S. Links Illegal Drug Production, Environmental Damage
(White House Drug Office notes deforestation, pollution, other effects) (1320) Marijuana cultivation strips the land. Cocaine producers cause deforestation. Methamphetamine labs are toxic waste sites. The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is emphasizing the damage that drug traffickers do to the environment in a campaign launched for Earth Day. Earth Day, recognized in the United States since 1970, falls on April 22. In an April 18 press release, ONDCP reports that it is launching a new television advertising campaign that explains the environmental consequences of drug cultivation. Marijuana growers are burning off native vegetation to grow their illicit crops, destroying wildlife habitat and disseminating harmful pesticides. For every pound of methamphetamine produced in criminal labs, five to six pounds of hazardous waste is generated and dumped onto farmland and down domestic wells, creating broader public health risks. Six million acres of tropical forest in the Andean region has been deforested for the production of cocaine, ONDCP reports. "The billions of dollars worth of illegal drugs produced here and abroad are taking a horrific toll on some of the most fragile and diverse ecosystems on the planet," said ONDCP Director John Walters. Following is the text of the ONDCP press release: (begin text) OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY April 18, 2003 WHITE HOUSE DRUG POLICY OFFICE TO AIR EARTH DAY AD OUTLINING THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF THE DRUG TRADE ON THE ENVIRONMENT Thousands of Acres Ruined on U.S. Public Lands due to Marijuana Cultivation; Illegal Drug Trade Responsible for the devastation of Millions of Acres of Andean Rainforest (Washington, D.C.) -Today, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) announced that "Environment," a new anti-drug ad that is part of the "Nick and Norm" series, will air on Meet the Press and Face the Nation on Sunday, April 20th as part of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. In the ad, Nick informs Norm that methamphetamine labs produce toxic waste and cocaine production destroys rain forests - just two examples of how drug cultivation negatively impacts the environment. The ad will run until June on FOX News, Bravo, A&E, and other channels. Testing has shown that the "Nick and Norm" ad series has successfully strengthened anti-drug beliefs across all audiences. "Those who enjoy and care about our planet's natural resources should be troubled by the environmental consequences of the drug trade," said John Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy. "The billions of dollars worth of illegal drugs produced here and abroad are taking a horrific toll on some of the most fragile and diverse ecosystems on the planet. We hope that Earth Day will give parents and educators another reason to talk to their kids about the harmful consequences of drug use. Concerned young people and adults should think about the global impact of the drug trade the next time they and their peers discuss what they can do to sustain a healthy environment here in the U.S. and abroad." In the United States, the illegal growth and cultivation of marijuana has destroyed and contaminated thousand of acres of public lands. Environmental damage occurs when clandestine farmers burn off native vegetation, thus destroying natural wildlife habitats. The pollution continues when the toxic pesticides, fertilizers, and insecticides seep into creeks and municipal watersheds. The production of other illicit drugs, both internationally and domestically, also negatively impacts the environment. For example, methamphetamine labs, which are toxic waste sites, produce pounds of hazardous leftover material, leading to both immediate and long-term environmental and health risks. Over the past two decades, the Andean region has lost approximately 6 million acres of fragile tropical forest as a result of farmers clearing land to make way for the production of coca - the raw ingredient for cocaine. To help educate parents and teens about the issues surrounding drugs and the environment, the Media Campaign has added "Drugs & the Environment" content to TheAntiDrug.com and Freevibe.com, containing facts and links for more information on how illegal drug use contributes to the destruction of the environment. Visit www.theantidrug.com and www.freevibe.com to view the new information. ENVIRONMENT & DRUGS Billions of dollars are spent every year on illegal drugs, which take a horrific toll on some of the world's most fragile and diverse eco-systems. In the U.S., production of methamphetamines and marijuana has had a devastating impact on our public lands. Globally, the growth of marijuana, coca (cocaine) and opium poppy has eroded valuable ecosystems. Marijuana The illegal growth and cultivation of marijuana has destroyed and contaminated thousands of acres of public lands in America. In fact, more than 2,500,000 marijuana plants have been found and eradicated on National Forest lands since 1997. The damage begins when marijuana farmers burn off native vegetation, destroying natural wildlife habitats. Some growers clear cultivation areas with chain saws and spread fertilizers and pesticides. The arsenic-based poisons kill small animals and rodents and in turn, the larger animals and birds that consume them, devastating the food chain and area water supplies. Often, tons of trash and high concentrations of human waste are left behind by smugglers, who come to the U.S. to care for the crops. This impacts wildlife, vegetation and water quality along rivers and streams. It also detracts from natural, scenic qualities and can affect human and animal health from spread of bacteria and disease. Methamphetamines Methamphetamine or "meth" labs, using inexpensive over-the-counter chemicals to process the drug, can cause soil and water contamination, threaten fish and stream wildlife and create fires. For each pound of "meth" produced, five to six pounds of hazardous waste are generated, posing immediate and long-term environmental and health risks. For example, National Forest Service employees who have been in contact with meth dump sites have become ill. The waste contains chemicals such as lye, red phosphorus, hydriodic acid and iodine. Some of this hazardous waste is dumped directly into domestic water wells, farmland and mine shafts, creating broader public health risks from contaminated water. And in California, for example, chemicals from large meth lab dump sites have killed livestock, contaminated streams, and destroyed large areas of trees and vegetation in that state. Cocaine The U.S. consumes nearly 260 metric tons of cocaine every year, which is grown and processed in the fragile environments of South America. The result has been the destruction of almost 6 million acres of fragile tropical forest over the past 20 years in the Andean region of South America, one of the planet's most valuable ecosystems (1). Each year millions of pounds of chemicals are used to process coca and then dumped into waterways or onto the ground in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Terrorist groups in Colombia linked to the narcotics trade frequently bomb oil pipelines resulting in toxic spills. One pipeline has been attacked more than 700 times since 1986 resulting in an overall spillage of 2.2 million barrels of oil into the surrounding ecosystem (2). In Colombia, which contains roughly 10 percent of the Earth's biodiversity, roughly three million acres of tropical rain forest have been ruined by the coca trade. In Peru, ten percent of the total rain forest destruction in the last century is due to illegal drugs. The rapidly eroding rainforests may mean that scientists may not find potential cures for deadly diseases, (one in six prescription drugs has a tropical source). The loss of rainforests also contributes to changes in the global climate. Pollution of waterways will perhaps permanently eradicate species of plants and animals, in addition to releasing carcinogens into drinking water for generations to come. For more information on the ONDCP National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign visit www.mediacampaign.org, www.freevibe.com, or www.theantidrug.com 1 U.S. Department of State 2 Ibid. (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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