Article: WORLD ON DRUGS; The illegal drugs business rakes in more money than 88% of the world's countries. It brings untold deaths and misery to millions. If you were burgled recently, drugs were probably the cause. Isn't it time governments tried a new way of dealing with the problem?(News)

Byline: By STEPHEN WHITE CASH CROP: Field of cannabis sativa

IF your house was burgled last year... if your mobile phone was nicked in the street... if you have bought a dodgy copy of a computer game or DVD... then you have probably been sucked into one of the world's biggest businesses - the drugs business.

World sales of illegal drugs in 2003 earned more than the gross domestic product of 88 PER CENT of the world's nations.

The number of people using drugs rose 15 per cent - a total of 200 million people.

That figure may seem huge but it ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!