Drugs have been illegal throughout the world since the early part of the 20th century. Today, the drug trade is one of the biggest industries in the world. As being one of the biggest industries, it is also the cause of one of the biggest problems facing society today, drug abuse. The drug industry is worth $400 billion worldwide or 8% of the total world trade. Drug trade is twice as big as the motor vehicle industry. Anything that powerful is going to have a major toll on society. Despite the high risk, the pure profit opportunity lures people to continue to take part in this market. From drug cartels in Columbia to 15 year-old children selling crack on the street in New York, there is money being made and lives being taken away. .
The drug trade has evolved into a complicated business. The steps involved include: cultivation, processing, and distribution. The areas for cultivation are primarily third world nations. Farmers in these nations unfortunately lack subsidies to produce legal crops primarily due to economic programs imposed upon their countries The typical farmer in Peru will receive double the market value for coca leaves then coffee. Distribution is most common in the country of the drug's origin. The drug market is being flooded with drugs causing street prices to drop therefore making it cheaper and more accessible to the common user. The number of drug users is about 190 million worldwide. Overall the drug trade is very high risk but profitable. The end product can earn 2500 times more than the manufacturing cost. Much more then most legal industries. This is what attracts the usual poor person or people to take part in this illegal market. The main countries that these drugs are coming !.
out of are also the poorest countries. In America most of the street level drug dealers are coming from the poorer communities of America. But as with anything, when there is high profit involved, the economy is affected.