East African drug trade

Since 2006, heroin usage in Africa has increased faster than on any other continent.[13] As of 2017, Africa is currently experiencing its highest increase in drug use, further increasing its demand for heroin.[14] In terms of consumption, East Africans receive about 9% of the heroin trade globally.[15]

Marijuana was first introduced in East Africa during the Middle Ages by Muslim traders from Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula.[16] Across the continent, marijuana is in the process of becoming legalized for medicinal purposes. Malawi is as a major producer of the drug; its government is currently allowing trial productions of high-quality strains of cannabis.[17] The government of Malawi plans to eventually legalize marijuana as the first government in East Africa to do so. However, illicit cultivation of marijuana is still common throughout East Africa because the growth of these crops allows farmers who are facing financial hardship to pursue new economic opportunities.[18]

Cocaine is another drug emerging on the continent. While most of the cocaine trade comes from North Africa, cocaine is a growing presence in East Africa, although the region is far from conventional cocaine smuggling routes.[19] Starting in 2004, there have been numerous high-profile seizures in East Africa.[20] Cocaine seizures have increased by four times from 2005 to 2009–10.[2] Much demand for cocaine comes from the emerging middle class. Many East African governments are worried about the prevalence of cocaine.[21]

Methamphetamine has taken over the global drug market in recent decades. It can have devastating effects on communities of all economic situations because almost anyone can afford it. While authorities in East Africa have not discovered any operations to manufacture methamphetamine, they have reported minor confiscations, wherein the methamphetamine is usually in transit to Asia.[20]

The illegal drug trade is an extremely lucrative venture that encourages corruption in government. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the global heroin market produced US$61 billion in revenue in 2009.[4] Corruption thrives in impoverished environments with weak states and incapable law enforcement. The International Journal of Drug Policy finds "extensive evidence of 'drug-corruption' among government officials and employees from numerous countries" throughout Africa, including many countries in East Africa.[22]

Corruption relating to drugs impacts East Africa's development. It allows for the increased flow of drugs throughout East Africa and handicaps counter-narcotic efforts, ultimately strengthening the organizational structures of drug trafficking. Research suggests that corruption caused by the drug trade damages the state process of development. Scholars argue in the International Journal of Drug Policy that "the drug trade impedes economic growth because this illegal income is rarely transformed into productive capital investments which are necessary for long-term and sustained economic expansion."[22] Corruption undermines the state's capacity to develop robust institutions that are essential for establishing the rule of law and strong economies. Moreover, the Journal of International Affairs reports that Kenya "is well on its way to being captured ... by organized crime groups".[2]

Profits from the illegal drug trade in East Africa are being used to finance terrorist organizations and other insurgent movements; however, the degree to which said groups are funded by the drug trade is unknown. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration claims that a large portion of the organizations that are labeled as foreign terrorist organizations have direct ties to the illicit drug trade.[2] The international nature of the drug trade means that those arrested in East Africa can be prosecuted by the US and other Western countries if a link is found with terrorist groups, even if the arrested people are not transporting the drugs to Western countries.[7]

Additionally, many groups incriminated in the drug smuggling industry have been tied to terrorist groups in East Africa, most notably Al-Shabaab.[7] Other groups related to Al-Shabaab are prominent, such as the Muslim Youth Center of Kenya, which recruits young foreigners to fight for Al-Shabaab.[23] Such terrorist groups have assisted in the smuggling of drugs as well as personnel both into East Africa and between African countries. The drugs fund these terrorist groups and allow them to continue operations. In addition to drugs, these groups smuggle black market sugar and resources such as charcoal.[7]

Africa is the most youthful continent in the world. While most of the world is experiencing an aging population, sixty percent of Africans are under the age of 25.[24] Demand for drugs from youth has caused a proliferation of access to illegal drugs in East Africa. The International Journal of Drug Policy says that "according to World Bank data, illicit drug users in developing countries 'typically fall within the age group of 15–44, although most are in their mid-twenties.'"[22] Case studies have produced evidence to reaffirm the concern that links the proliferation of illegal drugs and the large youthful population. Also, the same journal describes that researchers working in the coastal and interior regions of Tanzania have found that "excluding cannabis, heroin was the most commonly used drug, and was concentrated among young men of working age."[12] The use of drugs in youthful populations may lead to a decrease in productivity, and public health crises.

Injecting drugs with needles is credited with the rise of HIV in East African countries. In particular, in the countries of Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Kenya, those who partake in drugs are more likely to have HIV. Drug users account for 2% of new HIV infections as of 2014.[25] Consumers of drugs are more likely to contract HIV before the age of 25 compared to the general population, and statistics point toward a higher rate of HIV infections compared to the general population.[25]

The HIV epidemic has struck some countries harder than others; Kenya has been hit the hardest. Drug use among sex workers is a major cause of the issue. Sex workers inject drugs before or after intercourse. Due to lack of funds, they are forced to use contaminated needles. Combined with a lack of knowledge about the disease itself, contamination through injection has led to a spike in HIV rates among sex workers, which in turn has led to a proliferation of the disease across the country.[26] Heroin is a particularly notable cause of HIV transmission through injection. In the 21st century, injection became the most popular method of inserting heroin into the body. The International Journal of Drug Policy states that "drug use has been a major factor in the spread of HIV in developing countries, often as a result of syringe sharing and re-use."[22] Few people are aware of the risks involved with the use and reuse of syringes. In addition, in the case of Kenya, 20% of the general population is estimated to be HIV-positive.[5] The combination of the prevalence of HIV, the injection of drugs, and the lack of healthcare and awareness that exists around these dangerous practices[12] suggest a hazardous environment that could contribute to a public health crisis. Researchers in Tanzania and Kenya found that the HIV rate among a sample of heroin users was more than 50%, which is well over the 13% average.[5]

Currently, many countries in Africa, such as Tanzania and Mauritius, are developing methadone programs to stem the tide of drug injections, which are a major cause of HIV.[27] These programs forgo abstinence by offering medicine to alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal. Thousands are now enrolling in these programs in order to overcome addiction, and avoid the threat of HIV infection due to injection by contaminated needles.