John McCain’s trip to Colombia is meant to focus on his views on trade. However, McCain refuses to address the central Colombia-America problem that touches Americans’ daily lives. George Bush’s failed drug policies, which McCain proposes to continue, have not stopped the flow of drugs to the U.S. More acres are planted with coca today than in 2002; in fact, 2007 saw a 27% increase. More cocaine is flowing into the US than ever before, and the number of users at home is rising.

The Bush-McCain eradication strategy has left our country open to traffickers and our children exposed to dangerous drugs. All the eradication efforts in the world alone will not stop Colombian traffickers and farmers from continuing the drug trade. What is needed is a comprehensive policy that fights the drug trade at its roots—rural poverty and lawlessness in Colombia and its Andean neighbors–and offers Colombian farmers an economically feasible alternative. Such efforts must be coordinated with targeted and effective interdiction and manual, preferably voluntary, eradication where necessary and paired with a significantly expanded demand reduction effort at home as well as in Latin America.

Drug Production and Trafficking Continue to Plague Colombia

Despite aggressive eradication efforts and more than $5 billion in U.S. aid, the area under coca cultivation in Colombia is increasing. Since 2000 the U.S. has been working with the Colombian Government to implement Plan Colombia – an aggressive counternarcotics strategy focused heavily on eradication. In spite of aerial spraying and other forced eradication programs, the total area under coca cultivation in Colombia increased by 27% from 2006 to 2007. This is the first significant increase in coca cultivation after four years of relative stability. Total coca cultivation in the world’s top three producers — Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru — has increased 16% since 2006, although refined cocaine yields have held relatively steady. [UNDOC, 6/08]

Cocaine continues to flow to the U.S. The U.S. government estimates that over 580 tons of cocaine continue to enter the U.S. each year. Cocaine remains one of the most popular illegal drugs in the U.S., second only to marijuana. The latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data showed that over 6 million individuals aged 12 and older used cocaine within the past year, similar to 2005 (5.5 million users) and at a rate higher than all other illegal drugs except marijuana. [NSDUH, 2006; DOJ, National Drug Assessment 2008]

John McCain Plans to Continue George Bush’s Failed Policies - Spending Billions on a Strategy that Hasn’t Worked

John McCain has long been a supporter of Plan Colombia’s failed policies. Speaking to the Florida Association of Broadcasters, McCain said, “I intend to fight for Plan Colombia.” Rather than supporting a smart, comprehensive policy McCain has consistently offered to throw more money toward military assistance, while Obama has put greater emphasis on social rather than security assistance. [Florida Association of Broadcasters, 6/20/07. Inter-American Dialogue 6/12/08]

Supply-side strategies alone have been ineffective and insufficient in stopping the flow of drugs to the U.S. U.S. actions as a part of Plan Colombia have created a “balloon effect” in the country; when the U.S. targets one region, production increases elsewhere. In Colombia, coca growers have adapted their growing practices to counter intensified coca eradication; producers have expanded growing operations to non-traditional cultivation areas. Meanwhile, coca production has risen in Bolivia and Peru. [DOJ, National Drug Assessment 2008 ; UNDOC, 6/08 ]

The U.S. continues to spend the majority of its money in Colombia on military aid and eradication. About 80 percent of U.S. aid goes to the police and military, and only 20 percent to social efforts to wean farmers off coca. Alternative development is the only program that offers an alternative livelihood to coca growers and more stable economic development prospects for the country. [Center for International Policy, UN Report, 12/05]

The U.S. Must Adopt a More Comprehensive Strategy for Dealing with the Colombian Drug Problem

The U.S. must shift its efforts to a more comprehensive strategy. According to John M. Walsh of the Washington Office on Latin America, "Forced eradication, including aerial spraying, only guarantees more replanting." Instead, it is necessary to focus on improving infrastructure and helping poor coca farmers transition to alternative, legal crops. "The easy pickings in terms of spraying coca in Colombia are over, and for there to be progress beyond this plateau there needs to be an alternative livelihood," Walsh said. [Washington Post, 6/19/08]

A greater effort must be made to decrease demand at home. According to the International Crisis Group, “The gap between funds for supply and demand reduction has increased substantially, going from $600 million ($5 billion vs. $4.4 billion) in 2001, to $3.7 billion ($8.3 vs. $4.6 billion) in 2008.” However, the National Drug Control Strategy has emphasized the effectiveness of balanced demand- and supply-side strategies, demand reduction has been regularly outweighed by supply reduction measures, and this finding must be reflected in our aid allocations. [International Crisis Group, 06/08]

Drug trafficking and cultivation is a global problem and requires an international solution. A global partnership is necessary to make cultivation of illicit drugs a crosscutting issue in order to maximize efficiencies and therefore results. Eradication of illicit crops is one piece of this puzzle; but it will only be effective in coordination with broad-based efforts to encourage other livelihoods and reduce the grinding poverty and lawlessness that make coca such an attractive crop. [UN Report, 12/05]