Coca Cultivation in Central America Could Expand, Study Finds
![]() Nicholas Magliocca |
icholas Magliocca, an LCLUC Principal Investigator, collaborated with Kendra McSweeney from Ohio State University and an international team to uncover the troubling potential for coca cultivation in Central America. Published in Environmental Research Letters, the study revealed that nearly 47% of Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize have ideal biophysical conditions for growing coca, the main ingredient in cocaine. This is significant, as coca cultivation has historically been limited to South America. The researchers used machine learning to map suitable areas and identified strategic advantages for traffickers, including shorter supply chains to northern markets and less regulated precursor chemicals. However, they caution that expanding eradication efforts may worsen the problem by displacing coca cultivation to new areas. Instead, the study advocates for innovative approaches to drug policy and law enforcement, highlighting the need to address the root causes of the drug trade. McSweeney emphasized the urgency for public awareness and policy reform to mitigate the risks of coca cultivation spreading in Central America. https://news.osu.edu/central-america-could-play-troubling-new-role-in-cocaine-trade/Tuesday, September 17, 2024 |