Andean Cocaine: The Making of a Global Drug
Thursday, May 28, 2009
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
5th Floor Conference Room
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
As a result of the recent surge in drug related violence in Mexico, drug policies in the United States and throughout the hemisphere are being debated. Fernando Henrique Cardoso, César Gaviria, and Ernesto Zedillo, former presidents of Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, respectively, have recently declared that “the war on drugs has failed” and have called on the leaders of the hemisphere to “replace an ineffective strategy with more humane and efficient drug policies.” During a recent trip to Mexico, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton acknowledged that the United States’ “insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade.”
In his new book, Andean Cocaine: The Making of a Global Drug, historian Paul Gootenberg presents the history of modern cocaine. He begins in the nineteenth century and covers the emergence of cocaine production and consumption throughout the world, carefully demonstrating the existence of a close long-term relationship between the United States and Andean cocaine. This panel discussion provides an opportunity to connect contemporary issues of drug policies in the United States, Latin America, and the world with the historical record of cocaine in the Andes.
AGENDA
8:30 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
Cynthia Arnson, Director, Latin America Program, Woodrow Wilson Center
8:40 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Presentations
Paul Gootenberg, Stony Brook University, State University of New York
Rensselaer W. Lee III, Global Advisory Services, Inc.
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Discussion and Conclusions
We hope you will join us for this important discussion. Please RSVP, acceptances only, to Nikki Nichols at nikki.nichols@wilsoncenter.org