Pubdate: Mon, 22 Jan 2007
Source: Time Magazine (Canada)
Copyright: 2007, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.timecanada.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1115
Author: Brian Bennett

MORE DRUGS, FEWER NARCS

Though the global drug trade is heating up, expect a lighter U.S. 
enforcement presence on the streets. The White House's Office of 
National Drug Control Policy estimates that opium production in 
Afghanistan, which not only provides 90% of the heroin consumed 
globally but also funds Taliban activities, rose 61% last year over 
2005. Some 670 tons of heroin are expected to flood the market, and 
that should slash the street price of a kilo of Southwest Asian 
heroin, now about $90,000 in Los Angeles. Yet the U.S. Drug 
Enforcement Agency (DEA), which annually loses some 3% of its 5,000 
agents to attrition, has a two-year hiring freeze because of budget 
cuts to U.S. programs. DEA bean counters say they would need an 
additional $12 million to maintain current agent levels. The DEA's 
overseas funding has increased, but overall, DEA chief financial 
officer Frank Kalder admits, "there will be less drug enforcement 
going on. There's no getting around that."

General James Jones, who worked in Afghanistan, calls the cuts 
"astounding." But other experts think it's wasteful to crack down on 
drug dealers without reducing drug use. In other words, manage both 
sides of the problem. Narcs or not, the new crop hits streets this spring.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine