Drug Trade Encourages Community Degredation
Explaining Urban Trends Fueling the Drug Trade
Nov 13, 2008
As the United States struggles to fight against the rise of methamphetamines, pharmaceutical drug abuse, and the re-emerging popularity of drugs such as cocaine and heroine our communities have become hotbeds for criminal activity. Yet, few realize that the urban drug trade is kept alive by a cyclical network of crimes that involve more than just substance abuse and relies on the abuse of public institutions for survival. This phenomena is best understood as the "drug triangle."
The Drug Triangle
The term "drug triangle" refers to the three focal points of the drug trade that create a continuous criminal cycle. The first part of the triangle is the drug dealers themselves. Generally, this is the start and end point of the triangle and is, understandably, the part of the trade most focused upon. Dealers either create their own drugs or else are smuggled the drugs from across state and international borders.
Second, there are the theft targets such as schools or residences where drug users steal items to trade for drugs or the money to buy drugs. Lately, thefts of precious metals have been on the rise in areas plagued by methamphetamine abuse. Addicts have begun to strip parts from cars, refrigeration systems, and, according to the November 10th 2008 issue of The Oregonian, mausoleums for precious metals that can be traded for cash.
Finally, there are the stores and homes where stolen goods are traded. Traditionally, these were illegal operations that specialized in moving purloined items to places where they could be sold. However, with the rise of metal thefts, many metal scrapyards are unwittingly perpetuating crimes by buying the stripped metals. While many of the places being vandalized for metal use parts that are branded or stamped, it takes little effort to remove or cut off these marked areas of the metal and enforcing legal trades are virtually impossible.
Understanding the Impact of the Drug Trade
In a generation that has grown up with blockbuster movies focusing on the drug trade the actual concept of the drug triangle is easily grasped. However, people oftentimes don't see the impact of these crimes as a whole. The mechanical systems that become targets for their metals cost more to repair than what their parts are being traded for; creating a cycle of wasted money and efficiency. In addition to this, the misuse of public services meant to recycle products is leading to increased drug production which, in the case of methamphetamines, negates the environmental progress being made and creates a downward spiral of community progress.
Not only are the drug users kept as victims to their addictions, but community resources are being victimized in increasingly disturbing ways. Understanding the drug triangle and the way it perpetuates crimes helps to underline many of the reasons policy makers stand firm on criminalizing certain aspects of substance abuse.
