This article is taken from the “Newsletter from the Sierra Madre,” #18. This newsletter recodered some of the struggles of a group of people in the mountains of Western Mexico as they created an innovative rehabilitation program and a health network in that area. David Werner, the author, saw first hand the suffering caused to the people in this region by the drug wars.

In the article “Trees of Blood to Traffic of Drugs” David Werner traces the links from the devastation caused by the drug wars in a local area, to the intrigues and struggles taking place on a global level. The impact of the illegal drug trade on the lives of ordinary people is portrayed with devastating vividness. The economic and political factors that maintain these conditions are sketched with equal clarity. He then considers the pros and cons of some possible solutions.

The war on drugs is connected with many social, political and economic issues, both local and global. Some of the less obvious connections may be the most important ones. Werner argues, for example, that canceling third world debt might be a crucial step in the solving of the problems associated with the illegal drug trade.

In order to see the complete article in PDF format, click here: From Trees of Blood to Traffic of Drugs.