Nicklas Staalkjær Engelsk A Hand in on 05/02/2024

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Manuscript for a speech

“The Business of Drugs in the US”

Good morning, everyone. It's an honor to be here today to discuss a topic that is both complex and
crucial to our society: "The Business of Drugs in the US". As a representative of the DEA, I've
witnessed firsthand the challenges and the impact of drug trafficking and abuse on our
communities. My aim today is to shed some light on how drugs alter the brain chemistry, a short
history lesson of drugs in the US, delve into the business model and supply chain of drug dealing,
and finally, explore the pros and cons of drug legalization.

As we delve deeper into understanding how drugs affect the brain and why they can be so addictive,
it is critical to understand that this is not merely a battle of willpower. Drugs chemically alter the
brain's communication system. They interfere with the way neurons send, receive, and process
signals.
This disruption has a profound effect on the brain's reward system. When someone takes a drug,
they may experience euphoria due to a powerful surge of dopamine. This experience is so intensely
pleasurable that the brain begins to crave that high, reinforcing the behavior of drug use. Over time,
the brain adjusts to the amount of dopamine, requiring more of the drug to achieve the same
dopamine high, leading to a vicious cycle of addiction.
Repeated drug use can change the brain in fundamental and lasting ways. It can compromise the
very essence of our self-control, making it more and more difficult to resist the urge to take drugs.
This is the sad basics of addiction, a chronic disease that can cause relapse despite long periods of
abstinence and despite the known harmful consequences.

Furthermore, drugs are part of some horrific statistics. As we delve deeper into them, they are
worrying and deeply troubling. Since the year 2000, close to a million Americans have lost their
lives to drug overdoses, a sobering tribute to the severity of the drug crisis gripping our nation. A
substantial fraction of these deaths is directly linked to opioids, a class of drugs that has gotten
countless individuals in the ropes of addiction and despair. To some, the scale of this tragedy may
seem abstract, but to put it into perspective, consider that this equates to one death for
approximately every three thousand Americans, a staggering rate of loss. Reflecting the seriousness
of this situation, in 2020, the federal government allocated a monumental $35 billion to drug control
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efforts, a clear indicator of the profound challenge we face in combatting this and other drug-related
issues.1

The story of drugs in America is long and complex, but a pivotal chapter in recent history is the
opioid crisis. This crisis did not emerge overnight. It began in the late 1990s, rooted in the practices
of pharmaceutical companies, most notably Purdue Pharma. Purdue Pharma, the maker of
OxyContin, played a significant role in the start of the opioid epidemic. When OxyContin was
introduced in 1996, it was aggressively marketed as a safer, less addictive pain management drug,
despite lacking sufficient evidence to support these claims. This aggressive marketing, combined
with associations funded by Purdue, led to doctors believing that patients would not become
addicted. This led to a massive increase in prescriptions and, eventually led to a widespread misuse.
As OxyContin prescriptions flooded the market, it became clear that the drug was highly addictive.
The situation worsened as those addicted to prescription opioids began turning to cheaper and more
accessible alternatives, such as heroin and fentanyl, only worsening the crisis.

The business model of the drug industry is as complex and calculated as it is illegal. At the core of
this model are the cartels, which operate with the precision and expertise of multinational
corporations, working outside the bounds of the law. Their operations span the globe, but
specifically to the US, they are sourcing narcotics from South America in countries such as
Colombia and Mexico, which have the optimal climate for production and funneling these
substances, through a labyrinth of distribution networks that reach into the very heart of our
communities.
Cartels engage in a strategic targeting of markets, and among the most vulnerable are the young.
Adolescents and young adults are often the most susceptible to addiction due to the developmental
stage of their brains, making them prime targets for initial drug use and potential lifetime customers
for cartels. Dealers and distributors, working on behalf of cartels, may infiltrate social circles via
peer groups, social media platforms, and even through direct presence in schools and
neighborhoods. They exploit the tendency of risk-taking in the youth, their search for social
acceptance, and often their lack of understanding of the long-term consequences of drug use.2

1
Drugabusestatistics.org lines 4-7 - https://drugabusestatistics.org/
2
”The Business Of Drugs” - Netflix
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As our discourse on the complexities of drug use and addiction in the United States comes to a
close, I invite you to consider a pressing issue that is at the face of national debate. The legalization
of drugs. It's a topic that stirs multiple opinions and emotions, and it's crucial to approach this
dialogue with both an open mind and a critical eye.
While some argue that the legalization of certain substances could offer benefits such as reduced
smuggling, controlled addiction, and additional tax revenue, we must weigh these potential benefits
against the harsh realities. There is a concern, that legalization may serve as a gateway, not just to
the substances legalized but potentially to more dangerous drugs. This could lead to an escalation in
substance use, an increase in drug-related medical emergencies, and tragically, a rise in drug-
induced deaths.
As you discuss amongst yourselves, I challenge you to consider these perspectives. How do we
balance individual freedom with societal responsibility? How do we protect our communities from
the harms of addiction while also addressing the failures of past drug policies? These are not
questions with easy answers, but they are conversations we must have.
In the end, the decisions we make today will shape the society of tomorrow. I urge you to engage
with this issue thoughtfully and passionately, to consider not just the immediate implications, but
the long-term effects of our choices. Let us strive to find solutions that secures the health and well-
being of our nation. Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to a fruitful discussion.