VOA标准英语2012--Legalize Drugs, Says Former British Spy Chief
时间：2012-04-24 08:35:09
搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号：tingroom，领取免费英语资料大礼包。
（单词翻译）
Legalize Drugs, Says Former British Spy Chief
Ciudad Juarez on the U.S.-Mexico border - a frontline in the global war on drugs. Mexican authorities recently intercepted1 this haul of weapons and ammunition2, destined3 for the drug gangs that make this transit4 route one of the deadliest in the world.
More than 50,000 people have died in drug violence across Mexico since the government sent the army to fight the drug cartels in December 2006.
In a new report, the International Institute for Strategic Studies argues the West is losing the war on drugs. Nigel Inkster, a former deputy chief of Britain’s intelligence agency MI6, is the author.
“Mexico is now experiencing two wars, one between the government and drugs traffickers, and the other between drugs trafficking groups," said Inkster. "Afghanistan is another example where what we’ve seen is the
narcotics5 trade not causing conflict, because conflict was there long before, but
acting6 as a
perpetuator7 of conflict.”
NATO and Afghan forces have been battling the production of
opium8 - used to make
heroin9 - at the same time as fighting
insurgents10. Commanders say the two are often linked.
The U.N. estimates that 123,000 hectares of opium poppies were grown in Afghanistan in 2010 - more than 60 percent of the global supply. Production in Burma soared by 20 percent from 2009 to 2010.
“You squeeze production in one region and it simply displaces elsewhere. Same thing is true of supply routes, you crack down on one supply route and alternatives are found,” said Inkster.
West Africa is now a key transit route for drugs en route from growers to consumers in Europe.
The latest U.N. figures show that
cocaine11 use in Europe has doubled over the past decade. Globally, it’s estimated the total number of drug users has grown to 210 million. Inkster said drug use cannot be
eradicated12 - so it should be managed instead, like tobacco.
“Governments raise considerable revenues from the sales of tobacco, but over the past few years, consumption of tobacco has been nudged away from being something that is socially acceptable towards something that is increasingly not seen as acceptable,” said Inkster.
Inkster warns that more and more countries are being dragged into the global industry in
illicit13 drugs - with
devastating14 consequences on both sides of the trade.
分享到：
