$13-Billion Drug War Funded By U.S. Taxpayers Fuels Violence In Developing Countries: New Report
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.