How does the Afghanistan opium black market affect the U.S. pharmaceutical industry?
http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1304022194
This was asked yesterday, but not answered. Apparently, no one here has an opinion or knowledge about this. Here are some ideas about how to search effectively, though, so you can find the information you need ... if it exists.
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You may have to search and research, but once you learn some good sources and methods, you should have success. In addition to searching on the Internet, you also need to make best friends with the reference librarian(s) in your local or college library. Libraries these days subscribe to enormous research databases, and they are often more useful than Internet searches. Ask your librarian if you have access to EBSCOHost -- it has several databases within it, including a huge one for academic research and one for health topics.
For Internet searching:
http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/
At this webpage, you can go immediately to the search sites (first three columns across the top) -- or even better you can scroll down until you see the section called HOW TO SEARCH THE INTERNET. Those are the links to start with. You'll not only learn how to come up with good search terms, but also how to evaluate the webpages you get as results. Some will be good and others will be garbage. You need to know how to tell the difference.
My favorite way to search is to go to Google's advanced search page http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en and put my search words or phrases into the first or second search box (either "all the words" or "exact phrase"). Another is to start out at http://scholar.google.com. However, there many other strategies for searching you can use, and the HOW TO SEARCH THE INTERNET section will help you best.
Learning to use Google or other search engines can save you time and help you learn to find information efficiently. Here are some websites that can teach you how:
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html
http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/searchtips.html
http://www.pandia.com/goalgetter/index.html
http://websearch.about.com/mbody.htm?once=true&COB=home&PM=112_100_T
... and one to help you judge whether a particular website's information is worth your time:
http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/evaluate.html
To understand how the Afghanistan opium black market affects the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, we first need to learn about the opium production in Afghanistan and its connection to the illicit drug trade.
1. Opium Production in Afghanistan:
Afghanistan is one of the largest producers of opium globally. The country’s fertile land and favorable climate make it an ideal location for cultivating opium poppies, which are used to make heroin and other illegal drugs.
2. Illicit Drug Trade:
The opium produced in Afghanistan is not only used for domestic consumption but also becomes a significant contributor to the global illicit drug trade. The black market for opium operates on an international scale, with criminal organizations smuggling the drug to various countries, including the United States.
3. Impact on the U.S. Pharmaceutical Industry:
The Afghanistan opium black market can indirectly affect the U.S. pharmaceutical industry through several channels:
a. Increased Availability of Heroin: The illicit drug trade originating from Afghanistan contributes to a rise in the availability of heroin worldwide, including in the United States. This can lead to an increase in the number of people suffering from heroin addiction, which can have a detrimental impact on public health and place a burden on healthcare systems.
b. Diversion of Prescription Drugs: The illegal drug trade often involves the diversion of legally produced prescription drugs. In some cases, pharmaceutical drugs containing opioids, such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, end up being diverted to the black market. This diversion contributes to the overall availability of opioids and can worsen the drug addiction crisis in the United States.
c. Influence on Drug Prices: The influx of illicit drugs into the United States, including heroin, can impact the market dynamics and prices of legal pharmaceutical opioids. The increased availability of cheaper illicit opioids can potentially affect the demand for prescription painkillers, leading to lower prices or a decrease in sales for pharmaceutical companies producing these medications.
d. Government Regulation and Oversight: The presence of a significant opium black market originating in Afghanistan may also prompt stronger government regulation and oversight of the pharmaceutical industry in the United States. Authorities may implement stricter controls to prevent diversion, monitor prescription drug distribution, and combat substance abuse.
Understanding the complex relationship between the Afghanistan opium black market and its effects on the U.S. pharmaceutical industry requires a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including drug supply chains, addiction rates, and policy responses.