Examines the abuse of drugs in the West and the scope and value of the illegal drugs business, and the failure of the drug enforcement programmes either to curtail the supply of drugs or to persuade users to abandon their habit.

Introduction: The world pattern: an overview Chapter 1: The role of the United Nations Chapter 2: The drugs Chapter 3: Statistics and comparisons (Britain) Chapter 4: British attitudes to drugs Chapter 5: The US drug scene Chapter 6: US statistics Chapter 7: The US policy of certification Chapter 8: Colombia: key to the cocaine trade Chapter 9: Colombia's neighbours Chapter 10: Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico Chapter 11: The Golden Triangle Chapter 12: The Golden Crescent Chapter 13: The involvement of all Asia Chapter 14: The growing involvement of Africa Chapter 15: Europe Chapter 16: Money laundering Chapter 17: The cannabis debate Conclusions