Europe's Blood Money
Every euro for illegal cocaine funds murder in Colombia. Every euro for illegal heroin funds Taliban in Afghanistan. European consumers pay cartels – whether they want to or not.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Europe consumes, Latin America and Africa pay the price. Cartels destabilize entire regions, corrupt institutions, murder for market share. This violence is financed by European demand. Prohibition makes us unwitting sponsors of terror and misery.
The Money Flow
🇪🇺 Est. €30+ Billion
↓
European Drug Market
↓
Cartel Profits
↓
INEGI homicide statistics · Global Organized Crime Index (Mexico) · UNODC Crop Monitoring · CBP drug seizure statistics
What Regulation Changes Globally
Disempower Cartels
Regulated distribution in Europe means: no more European customers for cartels. Their business model collapses. Like alcohol prohibition – when it ended, Al Capone's empire ended.
When the US ended alcohol prohibition in 1933, Al Capone's empire collapsed within months. Violence in Chicago dropped dramatically.
Stop Violence
Thousands of deaths per year in Mexico, Colombia, Honduras from drug violence (Justice in Mexico, Global Initiative). European consumption finances this violence. Regulation removes the revenue source.
In Mexico, over 30,000 homicides are recorded annually; organized crime contributes substantially.
Fair Supply Chains
Legal production means: labor rights, environmental standards, fair wages. Instead of forced labor and child soldiers.
Illegal cocaine production drives large-scale deforestation in Colombia; chemicals pollute rivers and groundwater.
Honest Politics
Either we fight cartels – or we finance them. Doing both at the same time is hypocrisy. Regulation is the only honest position.
Cartels use forced labor for production and transport. Women and children are exploited in production areas.
Affected Regions
Latin America
Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia – cartel violence, corruption, environmental destruction
West Africa
Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Nigeria – transit routes, state corruption, destabilization
Southeast Asia
Myanmar, Laos, Thailand – Golden Triangle, conflict financing, human trafficking
It's not about solving their problems – it's about not causing them. Without European demand, there would be no incentive for this violence. We know this principle from conflict minerals and fair trade: consumers share responsibility for their supply chains.
The Drug War as Geopolitical Tool
The "War on Drugs" has served for decades as an instrument of Western foreign policy – with devastating consequences for the Global South.
Destabilization as Strategy
- Military aid to corrupt governments for "drug enforcement"
- Operations by foreign security forces (DEA, military advisors)
- Crop eradication destroys farmers' livelihoods
- Weak states remain dependent on Western "aid"
Who Benefits from the Status Quo?
- Prison industry & private detention facilities
- Military and defense contractors
- Police unions & security apparatus
- Pharmaceutical industry (against legal alternatives)
"The drug war was never meant to be won. It was meant to be waged."
— Critique of Drug Prohibition
International drug control was largely shaped by the US – often against the resistance of other nations. The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and subsequent UN conventions forced countries worldwide into a prohibition regime that ignored local traditions and prioritized Western interests. Countries that refused risked sanctions and exclusion from trade agreements.
Transnational Institute - Drug Policy · Human Rights Watch - Drug Policy · IDPC - INCB Watch
An Alternative Future
Imagine: Legal, controlled production under fair conditions.
Today: Illegal Market
- Violence and corruption
- Environmental destruction
- No labor rights
- No taxes
- No quality control
Tomorrow: Regulated Market
- Legal economy
- Environmental standards
- Fair working conditions
- Tax revenue
- Pharmaceutical quality
Take Action Now
Support petitions for responsible drug policy in Europe.