U.s. Scourge Spreads South Of The Border

U.S. SCOURGE SPREADS SOUTH OF THE BORDER

In a recent newspaper article written in the San Diego Union Tribune

called “U.S. Scourge Spreads South.” A very disturbing fact was opening drug

doors just south of our own community, which is why I chose to do an in depth

study of the easiness of drug purchase in our southern neighbor. It's not new

news but a overwhelming growth in the usage of drugs, especially Rohypnol.

“The Mexican border town called Tijuana across from San Diego,

California, once was a famous as a playground for drunken sailors and college

students. Today, authorities on both sides of the border warn, it has turned

into a gangland run by a growing number of ruthless cartels that sell drugs. It

is no longer just marijuana (pot), but a growing problem with other types of

drugs like Heroin, Crystal Methamphetamine, and Cocaine.”

I recently visited the neighbor city of Tijuana and rode in a Tijuana

taxi and was immediately met with a taxi driver named Jose, a Tijuana taxi

driver in an open-necked, baby blue silk shirt, he sizes up the tourists

trudging off the footbridge from the United States. “Taxi, sir? You want

pharmacy? I get you a good pharmacy,” he urges, stepping from a line of

beckoning taxi drivers in big belts and straw cowboy hats. “Good prices! No

prescriptions!” Do I look like I want drugs?! I didn't even solicit the

business. I almost felt weird because this is exactly what I was planning to do

my paper on. Soon he is nosing his long yellow Oldsmobile through scruffy

streets choked with pharmacies. I asked for Somas-a drug that gives the user a

feeling of drunkenness without all the liquor, and illegal in the United States.

In less than 45 minutes I was able to purchase the drug right over the counter.

Of course, I didn't actually purchase the drug, but kindly told the pharmacy

that his price was too high.

This just goes to show you how easy it was to get an illegal drug just

30 minutes from SDSU. And instead of being sold by gun-toting drug traffickers,

it is available in much of Latin America with a doctor's prescription--often

easily obtained. It appears to be crossing the U.S. border via booming

pharmacies in cities such as Tijuana.

The sudden popularity of the drug (Somas) has returned the spotlight to

Mexico's border drugstores, which for years have done a thriving business with

Americans but have recently exploded in number with the Tijuana residents. “

Tijuana residents are nearly twice as likely to have used an illegal drug as