what would happen to countries like columbia that make the stuff

same thing for like places like Afghanistan

5/6/2007 10:44:30 PM

your posts would probably be even less coherent

5/6/2007 11:17:01 PM

the tissue industry would flourish as people need something to stop their nosebleeds.

5/6/2007 11:21:17 PM

the few people that control it would lose their market share as american corporations move in and start producing it

5/6/2007 11:21:41 PM

coke dealers wouldn't get laid as much

5/6/2007 11:23:05 PM

Limiting my response to such countries as Columbia, the result would be quite devastating. The socio-political system in places that have become dependent upon the illegal drug trade have immense overhead in the form of bribes and kickbacks to the reigning political authority (usually not the legitimate government), it is unlikely these political institutions will go away once the underlying economic situation which made them necessary vanishes. It is quite likely they will attempt business as usual, extorting local wealth producers attempting to acquire their share. As a result, local wealth producers will halt all production as they are thwarted in all attempts to adapt to new markets (cocaine for the legal drug trade).

Ultimately, sooner or later, law and order (whatever there was) will collapse and be replaced either by a resurgent central government (optimal outcome) or the existing political institutions will adapt to new forms of crime: kidnapping for ransom, raids on neighboring jurisdictions, and pillaging what remains internally.

5/6/2007 11:32:26 PM

^^^ That's what I think.

Plus the price would probably drop too, reducing the incentive for violent druglords to control it. It's hard to say what they would then do (maybe turn to terrorism? legitimize their business?).

I was watching The History Channel thing on soda, and when they talked about Coca Cola they very briefly mentioned it was made with a "cacao extract." I LOLed. I would think The History Channel would want to be more historically valid.

[Edited on May 6, 2007 at 11:32 PM. Reason : ]

5/6/2007 11:32:29 PM

i think that coca-cola was using that extract into the 80's

they would ship it the leaves from columbia to boston, press them on the dock, and dispose of the leaves

5/6/2007 11:34:59 PM

5/7/2007 12:49:42 AM

tony montana would be out of business

5/7/2007 1:08:42 AM