Index Basic FundamentalsWar on Drugs – Impact of TechnologyTechnology – a boon for drug traffickersHow to fight the war?How can technology help in these areas ?Literacy campaignsMedia campaignsMobile applicationsDrones to assist law enforcementNarcotics detection equipmentNational reforms and regulationsNational perspectiveGlobal perspectivePersonal perspectiveFuture course of action Rationale Technology is taking over our world. With ever-increasing coverage and ease of use, we use it not only during our waking hours, but also when we sleep. Does technology always have a positive impact? In the case of drugs, they appear to have a negative effect. As highlighted by several studies conducted, drug use is the same or increasing in different parts of the world. This effect is largely due to technological progress. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The main purpose of the war on drugs is to cut supply. This strategy of reducing drug use has never worked. However, drugs are always in high demand. Reducing supply from one region increases supply from another region. Dismantling one organization gives way to another or it can be two organizations, crossing boundaries and getting smarter each time. This is also called the “balloon effect”. Where law enforcement has new technological tools at its disposal, the war on drugs has made drug traffickers more ruthless and efficient in their use of technology. The war on drugs has been called a failure. War on Drugs: The Impact of Technology Technology has enabled the world to connect better. Drug traffickers have exploited this situation to great advantage. New means of production, transportation and distribution have helped them take flight far and wide. Drugs have become cheaper to produce, harder to detect and more potent than before. Smaller doses promise a high effect. People who survive trade are astute, intelligent, innovative and better adapted to technology. Finding safer means of doing business through cryptocurrency payment channels or trading on the dark web, the drug economy has evolved at a lightning pace. Technology: A Boon for Drug Traffickers Where technology has proved beneficial to anti-drug agencies, it has also made their lives difficult. Drug cartels in various countries have invested millions in technology. They have the money to buy the best equipment and the best minds to manage their complex organizations and supply chains. Colombian drug cartels use sophisticated technology and store data on anti-drug efforts. Information is power, and this information helps them stay 10 steps ahead of the agencies fighting them. From information on informants, to tracking the movements of diplomats and law enforcement, to managing supply chain routes and logistics, Big Data has helped these cartels manage this data in an organized manner and channel it to their advantage. How to fight the war? A solution is not something that will come easily. Some of the steps that can be taken to effectively fight the war are: Legalization has the strong possibility of solving many of the problems of violence and corruption in producing and trafficking countries. Drug addiction is also linked to social conditions. Educating society is another step. Make harm reduction a central pillar of health services.Harm reduction is about investing in areas where the harmful effects of drugs can be reduced. Investments in drug addiction treatment for drug addicts. Fund drug policy research. How can technology help in these areas? Literacy campaigns The Internet with its wide coverage can help conduct literacy campaigns to educate drug users. UNESCO, for example, has developed a detailed study on drug education and how it could help reduce drug use. Media campaigns The media plays a significant role in spreading information and awareness. Radio, television and the press could help raise people's awareness of the consequences that drug addicts suffer due to drug consumption. Its campaigns can target a larger audience and therefore can be more successful. Mobile Applications Mobile phones could reach our audience instantly and with profound messages. The RMCP Drugs Awareness app is an app that is having a great impact on reducing drug addiction by supporting the education and awareness movement about the harmful effects of drugs. RMCP displays information in a simple and intuitive way to provide a clear picture of the topic. There are many other apps aimed at helping drug addicts overcome their problems. These apps engage users in ways that lead to effective outcomesDrones to help law enforcement Nowadays, drones are considered an invaluable asset by security forces, believed to be valuable eyes lurking in the sky aiding surveillance operations. In Mexico, the Secretariat of National Defense, the Federal Police, the Procuradoría General de la República (Office of the Attorney General), as well as the Army and Air Force assemble drones to gather intelligence and combat illegal smuggling. Narcotics detection equipment technology has enabled the creation of various sophisticated portable and easy-to-use narcotics detection equipment. They are used at checkpoints, airports, country borders, etc. These tools allow drug enforcement officers to detect and confirm the presence of drugs on site. Drug dealers are now aware of such detection tools and are wary of them. National reforms and regulation Governments can use technology combined with regulation to aid the war on drugs on a large scale. The image shown below shows the use of various drugs over the course of 12 months, indicating the decrease in various types of drugs available in the market that are consumed by individuals, decreasing the severity of the situation. Government officials have imposed strict rules involving the use of technology regarding the amount of alcohol consumption, these rules have successfully reduced the consumption of this drug. Additionally, recorded rates of alcoholism are decreasing (from 18.1 million people in 2002 to 16.7 million in 2011), demonstrating success in reducing rates of drug use, but addiction is still a concern. National Perspective The United States alone spends some $40 billion every year trying to eliminate the supply of drugs with the help of technology. It arrests 1.5 million citizens every year for drug crimes, locking up half a million of them. The U.S. Border Patrol uses a wide range of new technologies aimed at transporting highly illegal drugs by smugglers. Strengthening security with the help of technology at various airports and subways around the world has played a significant role in reducing transportation.