Chapter 1. Dimensions of Women’s Power in the Illicit Drug Economy

2020 ◽  
pp. 15-32
Author(s):  
Tammy L. Anderson
2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 57-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANá‡OIS-XAVIER DUDOUET

Résumé:  Phénomá¨ne moderne et universel, la «  drogue   » peine cependant á  recevoir une définition précise. Que l”™on essaie de l”™approcher par ses effets physiologiques ou par sa prohibition, il semble que nous n”™obtenions que des points de vue partiels, alors que la globalité du phénomá¨ne continue de nous échapper. La démarche proposée ici consiste á  changer de perspective et á  envisager la «  drogue   » comme un fait social total universel, c”™est-á -dire comme une organisation sociale globale qui distinguerait, pour l”™ensemble de la planá¨te, les usages sacrés et les usages profanes. L”™article décrit, dans un premier temps, l”™opération magique par laquelle les usages licites des drogues ont été distingués des usages illicites au niveau national, dans un deuxiá¨me temps il montre comment cette opération s”™est poursuivie au niveau international afin de bá¢tir une économie licite des drogues séparée de l”™économie illicite. Cette dimension économique est approfondie dans la troisiá¨me partie, afin de mettre á  jour la logique monopoliste qui organise les usages sacrés des drogues. Une derniá¨re partie évoque quelques pistes de réflexion pour voir pourquoi la dimension licite de la «  drogue   » a, peu á  peu, été totalement occultée au profit d”™une lecture exclusivement prohibitionniste du phénomá¨ne. Sans doute, la croyance en la prohibition de la «  drogue   » était-elle nécessaire á  la dissimulation d”™une réalité plus inacceptable encore  : la monopolisation des usages licites.Mots clefs: Politique des Drogues. Contrôle International des Drogues. Industrie Pharmaceutique.OS SENTIDOS DA DROGA  Resumo: A ”droga” é um fenômeno moderno e universal; entretanto, é difá­cil atribuir-lhe uma definição precisa. Quando a abordamos através de seus efeitos fisiológicos ou a partir de sua proibição, só acessamos alguns pontos de vista parciais, pois a globalidade do fenômeno em si, continua a nos escapar. A abordagem que propomos aqui consiste em mudar de perspectiva e em pensar a ”droga” como um fato social total universal, ou seja, como uma organização social global que distinguiria, para o mundo inteiro, os usos sagrados dos usos profanos. O artigo descreve, primeiramente, a operação mágica pela qual, em ná­vel nacional, os usos lá­citos das drogas se tornaram distintos dos usos ilá­citos; a seguir, o artigo mostra como essa operação prosseguiu em ná­vel internacional, a fim de edificar uma economia lá­cita das drogas separada da economia ilá­cita. Essa dimensão econômica é aprofundada, na terceira parte, com o fim de atualizar a lógica monopolista que organiza os usos sagrados das drogas. A última parte evoca algumas pistas de reflexão para compreender as razões pelas quais a dimensão lá­cita da ”droga” foi, pouco a pouco, totalmente ocultada em benefá­cio de uma leitura exclusivamente proibicionista do fenômeno. Sem dúvida, a crença na proibição da ”droga” foi necessária á  dissimulação de uma realidade ainda mais inaceitável: a monopolização dos seus usos lá­citos.Palavras-chave: Polá­tica de Drogas. Controle Internacional das Drogas. Indústria Farmacêutica.  THE MEANING OF `DRUG”™Abstract:  The "drug" is a modern and universal phenomenon; however, it is difficult to give it a precise definition. When approached through its physiological effects or from its prohibition, we can only access some partial points of view, since the whole phenomenon itself continues to escape us. The approach proposed here is to change the perspective and to think of "drug" as a universal total social fact, that is, as a global social organization that would distinguish for the whole world the sacred uses from the profane uses. This article first describes the mystical operation by which, at the national level, the lawful uses of drugs have become distinct from illicit uses; the article then shows how this operation proceeded at the international level in order to build a legal drug economy distinct from the illicit drug economy. This economic dimension is deepened in the third part with the purpose of updating the monopolistic logic that organizes the sacred uses of drugs. The latter part proposes some reflections to understand the reasons why the licit dimension of the "drug" was gradually totally hidden in favor of a purely prohibitionist interpretation of the phenomenon. Undoubtedly, the belief in the prohibition of "drug" was necessary for the concealment of an even more unacceptable reality: the monopolization of its lawful uses.Keywords:  Drug policy. International drug control. Pharmaceutical industry.LOS SENTIDOS DE LA DROGA  Resumen: La ”droga” es un fenómeno moderno y universal; sin embargo, es difá­cil asignarle una definición exacta. Cuando la abordamos a través de sus efectos fisiológicos o a partir de su prohibición, sólo accedemos a algunos puntos de vista parciales, pues la globalidad del fenómeno en sá­ continúa escapándonos. El enfoque que proponemos aquá­ consiste en cambiar de perspectiva y en pensar la ”droga” como un hecho social total universal, es decir, como una organización social global que distinguirá­a, para todo el mundo, los usos sagrados de los usos profanos. El artá­culo describe, primero, la operación mágica por la cual, a nivel nacional, los usos lá­citos de las drogas se han vuelto distintos de los usos ilá­citos; a continuación, el artá­culo presenta cómo esta operación prosiguió a nivel internacional, a fin de edificar una economá­a lá­cita de las drogas separada de la economá­a ilá­cita. Esta dimensión económica se profundiza, en la tercera parte, con la finalidad de actualizar la lógica monopolista que organiza los usos sagrados de las drogas. La última parte evoca algunas señales de reflexión para comprender las razones por las cuales la dimensión lá­cita de la ”droga” fue, poco a poco, totalmente ocultada en beneficio de una lectura exclusivamente prohibicionista del fenómeno. Sin duda, la creencia en la prohibición de la ”droga” fue necesaria para la disimulación de una realidad aún más inaceptable: la monopolización de sus usos lá­citos.Palabras clave:  Polá­tica de drogas. Control internacional de las drogas. Industria farmacéutica.


2020 ◽  
pp. 174165902091021
Author(s):  
Juan Pablo Aschner ◽  
Juan Carlos Montero

This research applies an interdisciplinary approach to the bidirectional relationship between illicit drug trafficking activities (specifically, cocaine and opioid trafficking in Colombia and Mexico) and the architectures, spaces, and territories in which they are located. Certain spaces that determine or are determined by the actions of drug trafficking organizations are described, analyzed, and classified based on various methodologies and the use of academic, official, and press information. In addition, case studies are reconstructed using architectural and geographic representation mechanisms to exemplify and illustrate the main arguments. The paper examines the three stages of activity that constitute the illegal drug economy: production (involving the placement of crop fields and laboratories), distribution (which entails exploitation of mobility infrastructure), and cross-cutting activities in relation to drug trafficking support spaces. The research provides an articulated interpretation of the various drug trafficking activities from a spatial perspective, the characterization of spaces that are important to criminal organizations and to the performance of their activities, and insights into the spatial thinking strategies and tactics associated with drug trafficking.


2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 805-826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Maher ◽  
Susan L. Hudson

This paper aims to review and examine the qualitative research literature on women in the illicit drug economy and to identify and integrate key themes using the technique of qualitative metasynthesis. A search of citation lists and online bibliographic databases identified a total of 36 studies, 15 of which met the inclusion criteria of generating findings in relation to female participation using qualitative or ethnographic research methods. Results suggest that the drug economy is a gender-stratified labor market and that while women draw on a diverse range of economic and social resources, including informal sector networks such as those involved in sex work, family, and community and welfare networks, most women in most drug markets remain confined to low-level and marginal roles.


Author(s):  
Michael Wheatley ◽  
John R. Weekes ◽  
Andrea E. Moser ◽  
Kathleen Thibault

This essay explores how illegal drugs are linked to imprisonment, especially in the United States. First, the chapter considers statistics that demonstrate how the high U.S. imprisonment rate is driven by the criminalization of substance misuse, despite the high incidence of drug use in the general population. Prison populations that include a mixture of drug users and drug dealers are virtually guaranteed to find ways of bringing drugs into prison, and the demand is increased by the desire to ease the pains of imprisonment. The illicit drug economy in prisons and the associated violence is a threat to the safety of both staff and prisoners. Discussed are ways drugs enter correctional institutions and the methods used to disrupt supply routes. Types of treatment to reduce demand are considered. The complex mix of issues affecting drug use in prisons means that a careful, balanced approach to care and control is needed.


2000 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 4-5

Abstract Spinal cord (dorsal column) stimulation (SCS) and intraspinal opioids (ISO) are treatments for patients in whom abnormal illness behavior is absent but who have an objective basis for severe, persistent pain that has not been adequately relieved by other interventions. Usually, physicians prescribe these treatments in cancer pain or noncancer-related neuropathic pain settings. A survey of academic centers showed that 87% of responding centers use SCS and 84% use ISO. These treatments are performed frequently in nonacademic settings, so evaluators likely will encounter patients who were treated with SCS and ISO. Does SCS or ISO change the impairment associated with the underlying conditions for which these treatments are performed? Although the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides) does not specifically address this question, the answer follows directly from the principles on which the AMA Guides impairment rating methodology is based. Specifically, “the impairment percents shown in the chapters that consider the various organ systems make allowance for the pain that may accompany the impairing condition.” Thus, impairment is neither increased due to persistent pain nor is it decreased in the absence of pain. In summary, in the absence of complications, the evaluator should rate the underlying pathology or injury without making an adjustment in the impairment for SCS or ISO.


2000 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Brigham ◽  
James B. Talmage ◽  
Leon H. Ensalada

Abstract The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides), Fifth Edition, is available and includes numerous changes that will affect both evaluators who and systems that use the AMA Guides. The Fifth Edition is nearly twice the size of its predecessor (613 pages vs 339 pages) and contains three additional chapters (the musculoskeletal system now is split into three chapters and the cardiovascular system into two). Table 1 shows how chapters in the Fifth Edition were reorganized from the Fourth Edition. In addition, each of the chapters is presented in a consistent format, as shown in Table 2. This article and subsequent issues of The Guides Newsletter will examine these changes, and the present discussion focuses on major revisions, particularly those in the first two chapters. (See Table 3 for a summary of the revisions to the musculoskeletal and pain chapters.) Chapter 1, Philosophy, Purpose, and Appropriate Use of the AMA Guides, emphasizes objective assessment necessitating a medical evaluation. Most impairment percentages in the Fifth Edition are unchanged from the Fourth because the majority of ratings currently are accepted, there is limited scientific data to support changes, and ratings should not be changed arbitrarily. Chapter 2, Practical Application of the AMA Guides, describes how to use the AMA Guides for consistent and reliable acquisition, analysis, communication, and utilization of medical information through a single set of standards.


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