Since 2015, U.S. taxpayers have allocated nearly $13 billion to international “counternarcotics” activities, including law enforcement, military support and punitive drug policies.
According to a report by Harm Reduction International (HRI) and the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), this spending has prioritized drug control over evidence-based health responses, often leading to severe human rights abuses and undermining global development goals.
U.S. Taxpayer Funding Global Drug War
The U.S. government's role in funding the global war on drugs is unparalleled, spanning multiple government agencies, including the DEA, the Department of State and USAID. While $13 billion was channeled into international narcotics control programs over the past decade, this funding exceeds U.S. foreign aid for essential services like primary education, water supply, sanitation and women's rights combined.
HRI and DPA's report, titled "A World of Harm", shows how this prioritization of punitive measures over health-based responses has resulted in rising human rights violations, including forced rehabilitation programs, displacement and criminalization.
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Notably, the report highlights three key countries— the Philippines, Colombia and Mexico— where U.S. taxpayer funds have directly supported controversial narcotics control programs, often with devastating consequences.
Coerced Rehabilitation Backed By U.S. Funds
In the Philippines, the U.S. has funded “forced rehabilitation” programs, despite growing evidence that such approaches harm individuals more than they help. As the country's war on drugs escalated under former President Duterte, U.S. funding supported the government’s crackdown, contributing to extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses.
“There are no voluntary community-based programs,” stated civil society advocates in the report, adding that most individuals in these programs are coerced.
U.S. Corporations Profit From Toxic Fumigation
In Colombia, U.S. funds helped bankroll aerial fumigation campaigns targeting coca crops, often destroying food crops in the process. The toxic chemicals used in these campaigns have been linked to environmental degradation and health problems, including skin disorders and miscarriages.
Read More: Colombian Cocaine Nears Oil Revenue: War On Drugs Failure And Rural Inequality Amplify The Equation
Moreover, the report underscores how U.S. assistance to Colombian law enforcement has disproportionately benefited private U.S. corporations, such as Dyncorp, which carried out the fumigation operations.
Drug War Militarization Increases Violence, Femicide Rates
Similarly, in Mexico, U.S. support for the drug war has fueled militarization, leading to record levels of drug-related violence. The U.S. has spent millions in Mexico on law enforcement, yet the funding has failed to curb drug trafficking or reduce violence. Instead, it has exacerbated issues like femicide and repression against civil society.
Call For Reorientation Of U.S. International Aid
Despite some positive shifts in U.S. domestic drug policy, such as expanding harm reduction services, international aid continues to reinforce a punitive approach.
The report calls for a reorientation of U.S. foreign aid from militarized enforcement strategies toward evidence-based harm reduction programs. These responses would not only support the rights and well-being of people who use drugs but also address critical public health and development challenges in affected countries.
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