Alejandro Pineda

Criminal Justices
May 4,2019
Gregory Butler
Drug Trafficking in the United States
“Drug trafficking in the United States dates back to the 19th century.
From opium to marijuana to cocaine, a variety of substances have been
illegally imported, sold and distributed throughout U.S. history, often with
devastating consequences.”Throughout the years drug trafficking has been a huge
problem in the United States for quite some time now, since I’ve been alive ( 22 years) it
was always known that drug trafficking was going on and it was rapidly increasing
throughout the years.
With the new technology we are able to detect them a little better but with new
technology the advantage also comes the the people distributing the drugs as well.
Most places in the US now a days with the right communication of people you could get
any drug substance just like tha. The word of the mouth goes a long way. But how
exactly is it making it making it this way so rapidly.
During the mid-1800s, Chinese immigrants arriving in California introduced
Americans to opium smoking. The trading, selling, and distribution of opium
spread throughout the region.

Opium dens, which were designated places to buy and sell the drug, began to
crop up in cities throughout California and soon spread to New York and other
urban areas.

Before long, Americans were experimenting with other opiates like morphine
and codeine. Morphine was especially popular for use as a pain reliever
during the Civil War, which caused thousands of Union and Confederate
soldiers to become addicted to the drug.