The Political Economy of Narcotics - Softcover

Buxton, Julia

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1842774476 ISBN 13: 9781842774472

Publisher: Zed Books, 2006

Synopsis

This scholarly examination of the worldwide web of narcotics today provides students, social workers, health providers, law enforcement officers and policy makers with an up-to-date, overall exploration of the world of drugs. Vast resources are pumped into the 'war on drugs'. But in practice, prohibition has failed. Narcotics use continues to rise, while technology and globalisation have made a whole new range of drugs available to a vast consumer market. Where wealth and demand exist, supply continues to follow. Prohibition has failed to stem consumption and production, criminalised social groups, impeded research into alternative medicine and disease, promoted violence and gang warfare, and impacted negatively on the environment. The alternative is a humane policy framework that recognizes the incentives to produce, traffic and consume narcotics.

About this title

About the Author:

Julia Buxton is Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for International Cooperation and Security in the Department of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford, UK.

Review:

'Buxton does a good job of undermining the case for prohibition. Excellent sources and extensive bibliography [in the book] is a credit to her clear analysis. Her style may be a little cool, but this is authoritative, provocative and just the kind of thing Sunday newspapers should be carrying on the news feature pages..' Phil Chamberlain, Tribune 'The ambivalence and confusion surrounding drugs, what they are, what they do and why they are demanded and supplied needs open, democratic debate. Julia Buxton's The Political Economy of Narcotics sheds invaluable light, raising important issues for discussion which government and society ignore at our peril.' Mike Davis, CHARTIST 'Buxton presents a lucid, compelling critical analysis of the US policies regarding illegal drugs...Buxton provides a logical, rational analysis of America's longest war and the failure of US policy to control the narcotic drug trade. This volume should be mandatory reading for US drug policy makers and will be valuable for academics and social scientists as well.' J.S. Robey, Choice 'Julia Buxton's compelling book provides an account of the history and impacts of international drugs control, and argues that current prohibition policies not only fail, but are counter-productive.' Neil Spicer, Druglink, May/June 2008

About this edition

• Publisher: Zed Books
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1842774476
• ISBN 13: 9781842774472
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256