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The Decline of HIV/AIDs in Myanmar

HIVAIDs in MyanmarMyanmar, formerly known as Burma, is one of 35 countries where 90% of HIV infections occur worldwide. As of 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) found that Myanmar accounted for 224,026 HIV/AIDS cases, or 0.54% globally. This, though still considered prevalent, has declined at a steady pace. The new efforts began in 2016, with tremendous success resulting in the current year to lessen the effects of HIV/AIDS in Myanmar.

What Is Going On?

Myanmar has experienced ongoing civil conflict since gaining independence from British rule in 1948, with numerous constitutional changes ultimately leading to the establishment of a military-led (Junta) state. In 2021, the country descended into full-blown civil war after the military disputed the results of a general election in which the National League for Democracy won a majority. Claiming electoral fraud, the military carried out a coup, detaining elected leaders and seizing control of the government. Since then, the conflict has escalated and continues to this day.

The majority of Myanmar’s citizens support the pro-democracy resistance against the Junta, and that support has made an impact. Despite initiating the conflict, the military has gradually lost ground to opposition forces.

Poverty Rates

Before the civil conflict, Myanmar had a small but growing middle class, and the economy experienced rapid growth throughout the 20th century. However, in the 21st century, shifting government policies and international sanctions slowed this progress. Poverty is growing at an alarming rate. Today, nearly half of the Burmese population lives below the poverty line. This sharp rise in poverty has directly contributed to a range of serious health issues across the country. On top of these challenges, Myanmar follows an “out-of-pocket” healthcare system, which means individuals must cover their medical expenses themselves, making it even harder for those living in poverty to access the care they need.

Because the country is experiencing division and conflict, it has become nearly impossible for many Burmese people to afford or access proper health care. The ongoing unrest has made it even harder for everyday citizens to get the medical help they need. This shows just how urgent the need is for support, whether from the government or international aid organizations. While HIV/AIDS is already a serious health issue in Myanmar, it is not the only one. As poverty increases and the civil crisis continues, more and more diseases are beginning to spread, putting vulnerable communities at even greater risk.

What Is Stopping the End of HIV/AIDS in Myanmar?

Among those infected, 41% are female sex workers, 31% are queer men and 28% are people who inject drugs. Because of the criminalization of sex work, homosexuality and drug usage, many people with HIV/AIDS are scared to accept treatment. The Aids Datahub found that 7% of individuals who avoided going to treatment clinics were scared of punishment and the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.

If a person is found “guilty” of homosexuality, they can be sentenced to up to 10 years of prison. An individual found guilty of soliciting can serve up to 6 years in prison. Lastly, Myanmar is the leading source of opium and heroin, two injectable substances. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) predicts that up to 90,000 Burmese people inject drugs, or about 0.23%.

The UNODC has also found that overall drug use has declined steadily from 2020 to 2024. Programs that are working to limit drug use or encourage “safer” drug use in high usage areas in Southeast Asian countries (Myanmar, China and Bangladesh) are helping to reduce the usage of injectable drugs and the number of new HIV/AIDS infections in Myanmar.

What Is Going Right?

This downward trend is largely due to a renewed national HIV response strategy launched in 2016. These efforts focused on expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), improving testing and counseling services and targeting high-risk populations through community-based outreach. By 2023, more than three-quarters of people living with HIV in Myanmar were receiving treatment, marking a major public health achievement despite ongoing political and social challenges.

Despite civil war breaking out in 2021, efforts to maintain access to antiretroviral treatment to minimize HIV/AIDS in Myanmar remain strong. According to the AIDS Data Hub, new infections have declined to fewer than 10,000 per year. Of the 280,000 suspected cases, 216,757 have been confirmed. All confirmed individuals are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Beginning in July 2020, Myanmar introduced Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), where people routinely take ART to reduce the chances of getting HIV. It is still implementing this preventative measure today. Many foreign aid programs, such as USAID, the Global Fund and the National AIDS program, are funding access to PrEP.

What to Takeaway?

Despite ongoing conflict and growing poverty within the country, national and international efforts to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS in Myanmar remain strong. The number of new infections continues to decline annually, bringing the country closer to the global 2030 goal of eliminating new HIV cases. Access to treatment has significantly improved, with antiretroviral therapy (ART) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) available to all individuals who seek it, regardless of background or risk group. 

– Abby Buchan

Abby is based in York, PA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Mass Drug Administration Nears Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination

Lymphatic FilariasisPoverty and health are inextricably linked, with both negatively impacting each other. The main way they affect each other is through financial burdens, where people experiencing poverty are in a position where they can’t purchase the necessary things to support good health, such as quality food or health care. This is also impacted by people with low incomes often lacking the necessary guidance or information on the best practices that lead to a healthy life.

Poor health can also cause poverty in multiple ways. This happens mainly due to the direct costs of seeking health care and its associated costs, such as transportation to a hospital or medical professional. Furthermore, “the considerable loss of income associated with illness in developing countries” can greatly impact the sick individual and family members who may have to stop working or postpone their education to care for the ill relative. This is especially the case for those in extreme poverty (living below $1.90 a day), where people are often living hand-to-mouth with limited to no financial security if they can’t work.

Guyana and Lymphatic Filariasis

Guyana has around 800,000 people, with 90% living on 10% of the country’s total land area. Despite this, Guyana still has a relatively low population density. Due to recent discoveries of oil resources, Guyana’s gross domestic product (GDP) is growing quickly, with a growth rate of 42.3% from 2020 to 2023 but a GDP per capita of $18,199 in 2022.

However, the country still has a significant portion of its population living in poverty, with 48.4% living on less than $5.50 a day in 2019 and it’s estimated to be around 38% currently. Furthermore, in 2022, the Global Nutrition Report noted that 3.2% of the population lived on less than $1.90 daily and 4.7% on less than $3.20 daily. Guyana’s universal health care coverage is promising at 76% on the associated index in 2021, up from 65% in 2011. However, it hasn’t advanced in recent years.

One of the most impactful diseases in Guyana is Lymphatic Filariasis, which is endemic in the country, making it one of four countries in the Americas with such a status. However, the Pan American Health Organization considers lymphatic filariasis “potentially eradicable.” The efforts being made to eliminate lymphatic filariasis in Guyana support this claim. The disease can damage the lymphatic system, with symptoms often appearing later in life. These symptoms include lymphedema and hydrocele—swelling typically around the legs and groin—which can cause permanent disability or disfigurement, leading to social ostracism.

Globally, 120 million people are infected with lymphatic filariasis, with one-third suffering from disability or disfigurement as a result. Given the potential impact on daily life, such as restricted movement that can affect one’s job, particularly in agriculture (a significant industry in Guyana where 17% of workers are employed), the impact on those in poverty is substantial.

Guyana’s Mass Drug Administration Campaign

In Guyana’s efforts to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, the country has launched its third mass drug administration (MDA) campaign, targeting at-risk populations in two regions. The first round of MDA took place in 2019, treating 75.7% of the population, followed by the second round in 2021, which treated 72% of the population. The country is administering a drug regimen called IDA, which includes three separate drugs: Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and Albendazole.

In the current round of MDA, “700 trained volunteers and health workers are visiting schools and workplaces and will go door-to-door in regions three and four to administer pills” to bring closer the eradication of lymphatic filariasis in Guyana. With this aim in mind, they are stressing to people that participating in the MDA isn’t only for the health of the country but also the health of their community and families – a method supported by a study conducted on prior participation in MDA in Guyana.

Final Remark

The MDA campaign is bringing the elimination of lymphatic filariasis in Guyana closer. This, in turn, decreases the disease’s burden on those in poverty in the country, reducing the prevalence of the symptoms and, therefore, the impact it has on individuals’ abilities to work and those who would have had to care for those infected. The campaign will further benefit Guyana’s more remote communities, which may lack easy access to universal health care and social support, thereby increasing the impact of contracting lymphatic filariasis in these areas. By participating in the MDA campaigns, people in Guyana are more likely to avoid serious symptoms and maintain a normal life. This reduces the overall impact of lymphatic filariasis, particularly on those in poverty and helps break the cycle of poverty exacerbated by the disease.

– Archie Day

Archie is based in St Andrews, Scotland and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Lebanon’s Hash: The $1 Billion Industry to Lift Its Rural Poor

Lebanon’s Hash“Our hash is the best,” said former President of the Lebanese Republic, Michel Sleiman, despite the country’s illegal status on the cultivation, trading and usage of hash. Although meant as a joke, it still points to the popularity of the drug and its transformation into a necessity. In a study done by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), 53% of cannabis users confessed to an increase in hash consumption following the 2020 Beirut explosion, citing relief from anxiety as one of their primary motivations.

Lebanon’s Hash Industry

Lebanon has been cultivating and exporting hash for 100 years. Despite being the fourth smallest country in the region, Lebanon ranks among the top four largest hash producers in the Middle East, raking in millions of dollars annually. The amount of profit that hashish produces on an annual basis in Lebanon is difficult to pin down since the production of the drug is still illegal and, therefore, remains heavily undocumented.

In 2020, however, following a devastating economic crisis, the Lebanese government and the McKinsey consulting company produced a financial plan titled “Lebanon Economic Vision.” The document proposes that the legalization of hash for medical and recreational use could increase drug exports from $828 million to $1.79 billion by 2025. This revolutionary idea could mean an unprecedented cash flow into Lebanon’s long-neglected agricultural sector.

Where the Money Flows

Most of Lebanon’s illegal hashish farming occurs in the Bekaa Valley, a stretch of farming land that is 70 miles long and 16 miles wide. Many farmers have switched to growing hash after the economic crisis in 2019, which kept Lebanon’s inflation in triple digits for years. Many farmers have switched to growing hashish because it is cheap. Cultivating one-tenth of a hectare of a hash farm costs $150, while other crops, such as wheat, can cost up to $3,000.

Legalizing Lebanon’s Hash

In light of this trend, there has been growing pressure on the Lebanese government to legalize hash for domestic use and export. As of today, 55% of Lebanese youth are for the recreational use of hash and up to 75% of them are for its medical use. The growing popularity of Lebanon’s hash has also been apparent in parliament.

In 2020, the government passed legislation that allows for the farming of local medicinal cannabis (less than 1% tetrahydrocannabinol). However, the methods of injection into the market, the regulation and taxation of the market remain undefined and therefore make the drug illegal still.

Final Remark

With an ongoing war in the South and a financial crisis that a weak central government prolongs, the legalization of hash can be seen either as a temporary impossibility or a possible lifeline for the country.

– Carl Massad

Carl is based in Sarba, Jounieh, Lebanon and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Mexico’s Drug War Affects Education

Mexico's Drug War Affects EducationSince the Mexican government declared war against drug cartels in 2006, nationwide violence between cartels, police and the military has been taking a steep toll. The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI)  estimates the war led to 300,000 homicides and the disappearance of 66,000 people since 2006. This increased violence raises particular concern about how Mexico’s drug war affects education quality.

Major Disruption to Mexico’s Education System

Widespread violence from the drug war has caused mass school closures, negatively affecting the quality of education Mexican youths receive. Between 2019 and 2020, cartel violence forced school closures in eight states: elementary schools closed 104 times, junior high schools 51 times, preschools 49 times, high schools four times and universities three times. These forced closures caused severe disruptions for Mexican youths, undermining the quality of their educational opportunities. The World Bank reported in 2020 that only 72% of Mexicans used the internet, implying difficulties for remote learning options.

A study collected data during the 2000s and captured stark differences in education quality between areas with high rates of violence and areas with lower violence. Student absenteeism in high violence areas was 44%, while lower violence areas had 33%. Teacher absenteeism follows the same trend: High violence areas were 20.8%, while lower violence areas had 13.2%. Student lateness compared 52.9% to 11.9%, and teacher lateness had 41.2% to 29.1%. The study found the widest divergence in the presence of youth gangs: 51.6% versus 23.5%. Even one month of gang-related violence can reduce school enrollment by 14%. These statistics show how drug-related violence has heavily disrupted many educational systems in Mexico.

Drug Cartels Target Students and Teachers

The study emphasizes how homicide is now the second leading cause of death for Mexican males aged 15-24, a critical age range for learning skills from education and entering the labor force. Between 2000 and 2019, 21,000 Mexicans under 18 were killed, while 7,000 have disappeared. Cartels have also recruited youths in economically deprived areas where a lack of opportunities and resources contribute to youth recruitment. In 2019 alone, cartels recruited an estimated 30,000 Mexican youths. This recruitment targeting is partly why youths sometimes avoid or drop out of school. In 2006, at the start of the drug war, 11,664 Mexican youths did not attend primary school, compared to 106,131 in 2019.

In 2011, 7,000 Acapulco teachers protested against gang violence threatening their schools. They called on the government to provide safety in the face of teachers being attacked, extorted and kidnapped. More than 100 schools shut down in Acapulco due to teachers standing up to cartels who had demanded half their salaries in extortion. Schools only reopened four years later, in 2015, after the Mexican National Guard stepped in to ensure student and teacher safety.

Mexican citizens have increasingly mobilized to demand accountability from their government and better protection for schools. In 2014, the disappearance of 43 students in Guerrero sparked national protests over the government’s inability to provide a safe, educational experience for teachers and students. Mexico continues to fight drug-related violence affecting schools, knowing how important education is in reducing poverty and improving opportunities.

– John Zake
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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The Untold Story of Russia’s AIDS Epidemic

Russia’s AIDS EpidemicAmid a global pandemic, Russia is fighting a medical war on two fronts; as Russia deals with the spread of COVID-19, Russia’s AIDS epidemic is worsening. As the HIV  infection rate continues to decline in the rest of Europe, the transmission rate of HIV in Russia has been increasing by 10 to 15% yearly. This increase in transmission is comparable to the yearly increase in transmission of HIV in the United States in the 1980s at the height of the AIDS epidemic.

The AIDS Epidemic in Russia

Among other factors, the erosion of effective sexual health education and a rise in the use of opioids has led to a stark increase in the transmission of HIV/AIDS in Russia. The epidemic of AIDS in Russia has received little attention from the Russian Government and the international community, partly because of the nation’s social orthodoxy and the stigma surrounding drug use and HIV/AIDS.

The Silent Spread of HIV

A significant number of Russians infected with HIV are those who inject drugs. Roughly 2.3% (1.8 million) of Russian adults inject drugs, making Russia the nation in Eastern Europe with the highest population of those who inject drugs. Due to the stigma associated with drug use as well as the threat of harsh criminal punishment, few drug users who have been affected by HIV seek treatment. A study from the Society for the Study of Addiction found that in St. Petersburg only one in 10 Russians who inject drugs and are living with HIV currently access treatment.

A large part of the stigma surrounding AIDS in Russia comes from the return of traditionalism to the Russian government following the election of Vladamir Putin in 2012 and the strong connection between the traditionalist Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Government. The Orthodox Church, in particular, has blocked efforts to instate sex education programs in schools and campaigns to give easier access to safe sex tools like condoms. While methadone is used worldwide to treat opioid addiction to lower the use of drug injection and therefore HIV transmission, the Russian Government has banned methadone. Any person caught supplying methadone faces up to 20 years in prison.

HIV During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Studies conducted during 2020 have shown that Russians living with HIV and AIDS have faced difficulties in accessing treatment. According to UNAIDS, 4% of Russians living with HIV reported missing medical treatment due to the pandemic and roughly 30% of respondents reported that their treatment was somehow impacted by the pandemic.

The same study found that HIV-positive Russians had a positive COVID-19 diagnosis at a rate four times higher than HIV-negative Russians. However, HIV-positive Russians were less likely to seek medical attention for COVID-19 despite the high health risks, such as a weaker immune system that can accompany HIV. More Russians are contracting HIV yearly but the stigma of living with HIV is preventing HIV-positive Russians from seeking medical treatment.

Destigmatizing HIV/AIDs in Russia

With little national attention paid to the epidemic of AIDS in Russia, the movement for change has come from individuals looking to give visibility to and destigmatize HIV/AIDS. In 2015, after television news anchor, Pavel Lobkov, announced on-air that he had been living with AIDS since 2003, Russian doctors including Lobkov’s own doctor, saw a surge in people seeking HIV tests and treatment. In a nation where AIDS is highly stigmatized, a national celebrity showing that one can live a normal life with AIDS brought comfort to many Russians living with HIV/AIDS.

More Russians living with HIV/AIDS have made efforts to shed light on Russia’s HIV epidemic and destigmatize HIV to the public as well as in the medical community. Patients in Control, a nongovernmental organization run by two HIV-positive Russians, Tatiana Vinogradova and Andrey Skvortsov, set up posters around St. Petersburg that read “People with HIV are just like you and me,” and encourage HIV-positive Russians to seek antiretroviral treatment. HIV-positive Russians like Skvortsov and Vinogradova are trying to bring national attention to a health crisis that is seldom discussed, hoping to create a national conversation and put pressure on Russian officials to take action on the worsening epidemic.

A Call for Urgent Action

HIV-positive Russians and AIDS activists like Skvortsov have argued that until the Russian Government puts forth an “urgent, full forced response” to Russia’s AIDS epidemic, the rate of transmission will continue to climb. Many Russians on the ground are making public campaigns to destigmatize and normalize living with HIV, hoping to persuade the government to take action.

In 2018 alone, AIDS took the lives of 37,000 people across Russia. As of May 2020, more than 340,000 Russians have died of AIDS. While the social atmosphere of Russia, influenced by Putin’s government and the Orthodox Church, has created a shroud of secrecy and shame surrounding the AIDS epidemic, many HIV-positive Russians hope that the intensity of the epidemic will force the Russian Government to make a concerted effort to address Russia’s AIDS epidemic.

– Kieran Graulich
Photo: Flickr

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Latin American Drug Cartels Target Impoverished Children

Latin American Drug Cartels Target Impoverished Children

Drug cartels are a rising problem everywhere, especially for those that are in poverty. Children, specifically children in poverty, are generally the most vulnerable population anywhere in the world. Latin American drug cartels target impoverished children specifically due to their innocence and willingness to obey. Although this situation seems unfixable, people are uniting together against Latin American drug cartels, providing much needed hope.

The Situation

In Latin America, 43 percent of children live in poverty. These children’s come from families with no money for food, clothing or shelter. Cartels know the struggles of these children, so they offer them work. Because many feel they have no choice but to accept work from Latin American drug cartels, 80 percent of children under 25 agree to work for them.

Young children in Mexico and other Latin American countries draw less suspicion than older individuals and are willing to work for little money. As a result, the cartels use them in every way possible. Cartels often send children unaccompanied to push drugs across borders. Subsequently, border security will help unaccompanied children, thus enabling drug traffickers to smuggle drugs across borders.

How Countries Combat Drug Cartels

Luckily for these children, countries are taking steps to eliminate cartels. Recently, Mexico initiated a joint investigative team with the U.S. to fight against drug cartels. The U.S. and Mexico have worked together to combat cartels since the 1970s. For instance, one program, the Merida Initiative, worked to stop the flow of illegal weapons from the U.S. into Mexico and, subsequently, Latin American cartels. Similarly, the U.S. and Mexico offer amnesty to drug dealers in exchange for information.

This new joint investigative team is based in Chicago and directly targets cartel finances. Cartels survive by distributing goods to suppliers and laundering money. Therefore, disrupting their finances and cracking down on money laundering will drastically slow their production. In doing so, the team intends to weaken and ultimately stop Latin American drug cartels.

How Nonprofit Organizations and KIND Help

Nonprofit organizations band together to help the children that drug smugglers employed previously. One organization in particular, KIND, is dedicated to offering such help. KIND protects children’s rights when unaccompanied children are detained by the U.S. and when they are on the move. KIND ensures detained children receive necessary legal aid, especially as these children are burdened with an immigration system they do not understand.

With the U.S. and Mexico targeting drug cartels’ financial assets and nonprofit organizations providing the necessary help, there is hope to eliminate drug cartels and keep vulnerable children safe. The U.S. and Mexico, along with nonprofit organizations, are executing solutions to keep drug cartels away from children and shut them down altogether.

– Emme Chadwick
Photo: Pixabay

15 Years of Decriminalization of Drugs in Portugal


In 2001, Portugal passed Law 20/3000, which eliminated criminal charges for possession and usage of all illicit drugs. The decriminalization of drugs in Portugal does not mean that drugs are legal; rather, it means that drug usage and possession no longer automatically result in criminal actions.

An important component of Portugal’s drug policy is the distinction between recreational and addicted drug users. Those who are using a drug recreationally are fined, while those identified as drug addicts are offered enrollment in a government-funded treatment program. Another vital distinction in the decriminalization of drugs in Portugal is that drug dealers are still subject to criminal charges. The distinction between drug dealers and personal users is determined by supply at the time of apprehension. Those with less than a 10-day supply of drugs are subject to a fine and treatment program but not jail time.

The decriminalization of drugs in Portugal arose primarily as a response to the country’s heroin epidemic in the 1990s. At the time, nearly 1 percent of the country’s population was addicted to heroin, one of the worst drug epidemics globally. In the 15 years since decriminalization, the results have been generally positive. Drug-related HIV infections have been reduced by 95 percent, and Portugal’s drug-induced mortality rate is five times lower than the European Union average.

Fifteen years after its introduction, the success of decriminalization of drugs in Portugal is a great and somewhat unexpected accomplishment. Drug usage has not increased, though the rates of illicit drug use have mostly remained unchanged in the last 15 years. Furthermore, the number of individuals enrolled in voluntary drug treatment programs has increased by 60 percent. Treatments are developed with a holistic understanding of addiction, with options such as access to mobile methadone clinics and non-12-step treatment programs.

The logic behind the decision for the decriminalization of drugs in Portugal was that jailing drug users did not lead to a reduction in drug use and further removed individuals from society, exacerbating issues like isolation and poverty that lead to drug usage and addiction. Drug addiction is a challenge faced in many countries across the globe, and it frequently affects those in poverty or drives individuals into poverty. The decriminalization of drugs in Portugal has shifted the treatment of drug addiction from a criminal issue to a health issue, focusing on social determinants and mental health. This alternative approach to the War on Drugs has proved successful for Portugal so far and could serve as a model for other countries to follow.

– Nicole Toomey

Photo: Flickr

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How Drug Decriminalization Makes People Healthier


It has long been known that drug addiction is often linked to poverty, but the specific influences are difficult to measure. An increasing number of countries are trying a novel approach to increasing the health of their citizens: by treating drug use as a mental health issue, not a crime. Recent statistics indicate that drug decriminalization makes people healthier.

Though it may seem counterintuitive, there is evidence that treating drug use as a crime does not result in fewer drug addicts. In fact, the opposite has been the case. In July 2001, Portugal enacted a national law explicitly decriminalizing the use of all drugs, even cocaine and heroin.

Though controversial, in the years since, drug use has actually decreased significantly across multiple age groups in several categories. Portugal’s rate of drug use is now among the lowest in the EU, and the drug-induced fatality rate has dropped to five times lower than average.

It is important to note the key difference between decriminalization and legalization, however. Using drugs is still prohibited in Portugal, as is drug trafficking and providing drugs to minors. The aim of the law was to transform public interpretation of personal drug use from a stigmatized crime to a public health issue.

“We are dealing with a chronic relapsing disease, and this is a disease like any other. I do not put a diabetic in jail, for instance,” said João Goulão, physician and National Drug Coordinator for Portugal.

The impact of this policy on global health boils down to economics. When comparing the cost of jail time to the cost of rehabilitation, it becomes clear that decriminalization makes people healthier. The city of Lisbon has experienced a 75 percent reduction in drug cases since the 1990s, and the rate of HIV infections nationwide since decriminalization took effect has dropped by over 80 percent.

“It’s cheaper to treat people than to incarcerate them,” sociologist Nuno Capaz told NPR earlier this month. “If I come across someone who wants my help, I’m in a much better position to provide it than a judge would ever be.”

Portugal’s policy has broken ground for similar experiments to be conducted in other countries. Canadian politicians have gone on record earlier this year in support of drug decriminalization, and Costa Rica has been working since 2014 on a version of a decriminalization bill that will be approved.

The proof that drug decriminalization makes people healthier has long-reaching implications, particularly in the U.S. where the incarceration rate is the highest in the world, and 80 percent of drug arrests are for possession only.

– Dan Krajewski

Photo: Flickr

10 Facts About Mexican Drug Cartels

10 Disturbing and Terrible Facts About Mexican Drug Cartels
Continual and sensational news coverage of Mexican drug cartels may have desensitized people to the realities and sources of the violence. It is easy to forget how long the crisis imposed by the cartel has gone on and how far it is from over. To place the issue back into perspective, discussed below are 10 facts about Mexican drug cartels and the ways through which the government has attempted to deal with them.

 

Mexican Drug Cartels: Facts and Figures

 

  1. In December of 2006, former Mexican president Felipe Calderon sent 6,500 troops into Michoacán to address the rampant gun battles, execution-style murders and police corruptions which cartel rivalry had unleashed on the community. In so doing, Calderon launched the Mexican war on drugs, a literal war which would involve more than 20,000 troops within the first two months.
  2. Since this war’s inception, 25 of the 37 drug traffickers on Calderon’s most wanted list have been jailed, more than 100,000 tons of cocaine decommissioned and almost 450,000 acres of marijuana plants destroyed, but the violent loss of life remains on the rise. Smuggling routes spread into previously peaceful areas as military involvement increased.
  3. The United States, as home to tens of millions of users, comprises the world’s largest drug market. In fact, in 2013 about 10 percent of the U.S. population over the age of 12 were recent users, and drug consumption remains on the rise. Mexican drug cartels are estimated to earn between 19 and 29 billion dollars annually from U.S. drug sales.
  4. As more of the United States decriminalizes marijuana, illegally-smuggled Mexican product cannot compete with the quality or price of U.S. production. Simultaneously, a prescription opioid epidemic across the U.S. has raised the demand for heroin. As a result, Mexican production of heroin rose by 170 percent between 2013 and 2015, while marijuana dealings have largely diminished.
  5. As part of the United States’ own war on drugs, the government has given at least $1.5 billion to support Mexico’s anti-drug efforts. Concerned critics believe this deluge of cash contributes to corruption in the Mexican military and among police on the frontlines.
  6. Ten years after the Mexican military was deployed to combat cartels, the nation’s top general, Salvador Cienfuegos, said the troops ought not to have been involved and were not trained to pursue criminals to begin with. On December 9, 2016, the Mexican defense secretary said troops surrogating for police was an insufficient, even damaging, solution.
  7. Violence surged across Mexico in 2016, with more than 17,000 homicides reported in the first 10 months. This is the highest death toll since 2012.
  8. Strategically, Mexico has waged its American-backed war by targeting the kingpins, assuming that annihilating cartel leadership would dissolve these criminal organizations. The recent rise in violence throughout Mexico suggests this approach is ineffective. For instance, since Sinaloa cartel chief Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was recaptured by authorities in January, the gang has splintered and multiplied.
  9. Mexico’s decade-long war on drugs has cost about 200,000 lives to date and left 28,000 missing. Reciprocal violence from cartels, police and soldiers has violated human rights and ravaged Mexican communities.
  10. A 2015 poll on the efficacy of Mexican institutions revealed that the police, the president’s office, politicians and political parties rank among the least trusted establishments in Mexico, in large part due to the reign of violent cartels, which has cost so many lives.

By demilitarizing the war on drugs and reestablishing faith in the government, Mexico can begin to heal. The DEA recently emphasized the importance of coupling strategies: the targeting of high-profile cartel members by law enforcement and the provision of community outreach programs to end the opioid epidemic in Mexico and the United States. Long-term solutions must integrate security with social services to pursue prosperity.

– Robin Lee

Photo: Flickr

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No Over-the-Counter Aspirin in Delhi Spotlights Government Action

No Over the Counter Aspirin in Delhi Spotlights Government Action

The Delhi government has banned the sale of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) without a prescription. The restriction is set to last from August 15 until November 30, which is peak dengue fever season. For patients with dengue fever, NSAIDs can increase the risk of hemorrhage or death. Other precautions taken include increasing the number of beds available and keeping extra NS1 Antigen detection kits, blood and supplies in hospitals.

Additionally, all government buildings, including hospitals, have been asked to procure the National Center for Disease designed mosquito-proof air coolers (MPCs). Mosquito nets will also be provided to sentinel surveillance hospitals. The government has also made moves to reward or penalize those areas where breeding is or is not found, respectively. New warnings are expected to be drafted featuring more correct and simplified information so that the public can be better informed of the change and why it is being implemented.

Because dengue fever plagues nearly the entire developing world, it can be considered a developing country disease. The people that are most affected rely on correct information and government action to protect themselves. The cooperation of the Delhi government in response to an impending potential for a health crisis showcases how both health officials and government officials can work together to bring about a more efficient action. The ban will likely be successful in decreasing dengue-related deaths and could perhaps serve as a model for other places where dengue fever claims the lives of many. The emphasis on encouraging correct public knowledge of risks and preventing the spread of misinformation is a huge step towards public transparency and again can serve as a model.

The cross-sectional cooperation and move to enact such a ban before peak dengue season is also noteworthy, as the government was able to act quickly enough that they should see drastic results with the ban in regards to dengue-related deaths. Cooperation and a prevention-based movement are both good indicators of the success of a public health initiative. Results pending, the Delhi restriction can serve as a model prevention program for not only other countries plagued with dengue fever but for other illnesses with known risky associations.

– Emma Dowd

Sources: Financial Express, India Times, Merinews
Photo: One Healthcare Worldwide