Living alongside the G-stringed babes, the soccer stars and samba music are drugs and alcohol in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Alongside the lush Amazon Jungle is a bustling city teeming with drugs
In the previous blogs we examined the prevalence of drugs in society and specifically began to look at the crack problem. Whereas, crack used to be the top choice among addicts, its use is dropping and the reason was quite surprising. It turns out the drug bosses have a social conscience. They see and understand the devastating effect crack has on local families and society as a whole and want to find another way to make their profits. They are actually taking crack off the streets. As reported in www.sacbee.com.
This means giving up millions in profits. According to an estimate by the country's Security Committee of the House and the Federal Police, Brazilians consume between 800 kilos and 1.2 tons of crack a day, a total valued at about $10 million.
It's unclear how much Rio's traffickers earn from the drug. In 2008, police seized 14 kilos; two years later the annual seizure came to 200 kilos.
The leaders of all of Brazil’s major drug gangs are banding together to get crack off the streets. Can you imagine the Mexican drug cartels working among themselves?
These drug bosses have realized that this experience with crack was not good, even though it was lucrative. The social costs were tremendous. This wasn't a drug for the rich; it was hitting their own communities.
While stocks last, they'll sell. But it's not being bought anymore. Experts believe with certainty that they are looking at the end of crack in Rio de Janeiro.
Let’s hope that is the case. I would like to think all those addicted to crack will become clean and sober. However, I am all too familiar with the nature of addiction. I know they will find a replacement. So do the drug bosses. That is why they are confidently helping to remove crack!