Source Control

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There are three methods of source control that are directed in limiting the planting and manufacturing of illegal drugs in foreign countries. They are crop eradication, control of precursor chemicals, and the U.S. certification process. Crop eradication focuses on the reduction of agricultural output of opium poppies, coca plants, and marijuana from their respective countries of origin. The eradication of the crops is done both manually and through the use of herbicides that kill the plants. The theory is that by decreasing the cultivation for the manufacturing of the illicit drugs, it in return causes the drugs to be more expensive, thereby reducing the level of drug use. Despite the theory, growers have found ways around the crop eradication, so the method proved to be successful for a limited period (Levinthal, 2012). …show more content…

Precursor chemicals are the materials that are used in the manufacturing of illegal drugs. Not including cannabis, all illicit drugs require some form of modification of the natural product before the final drug itself is produced. The precursor chemicals are monitored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), by tracking shipments of known precursor chemicals entering the U.S. Operation Purple, is one program imposed to aid in the reduction of the illegal manufacture of cocaine in South America. Also, they also regulate shipments of acetic anhydride, which is mostly used in the processing of heroin and ephedrine, the chemical used in the production of methamphetamine. The difficulties with this method are that the precursor chemicals are often transported by way of third-party countries to disguise the purpose and intended destination (Levinthal,

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