The War on Drugs in Afghanistan: Another Failed Experiment with Interdiction

40 Pages Posted: 4 Jun 2015 Last revised: 2 Feb 2016

See all articles by Christopher J. Coyne

Christopher J. Coyne

George Mason University - Department of Economics

Abigail R Hall

University of Tampa

Scott Burns

Ursinus College; Southeastern Louisiana University; American Institute for Economic Research

Date Written: June 2, 2015

Abstract

Following the start of the war on terror in 2001, U.S. policymakers determined that winning the war on drugs in Afghanistan was necessary for winning the war on terror. Yet despite spending $8.4 billion on drug interdiction in Afghanistan since 2002, opium production has grown substantially. We examine the failures of the U.S.-led war on drugs in Afghanistan using the tools of economics. By driving the opium economy into the black market, the war on drugs has fostered regime uncertainty, resulted in the violent cartelization of the drug industry, empowered the Taliban insurgency, and contributed to corruption. The U.S. experience in Afghanistan has broader implications for international drug and terrorism policy.

Keywords: Afghanistan, War on Drugs, War on Terror

JEL Classification: F51, F52, H11, H56

Suggested Citation

Coyne, Christopher J. and Hall, Abigail R and Burns, Scott and Burns, Scott, The War on Drugs in Afghanistan: Another Failed Experiment with Interdiction (June 2, 2015). GMU Working Paper in Economics No. 15-37, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2613428 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2613428

Christopher J. Coyne (Contact Author)

George Mason University - Department of Economics ( email )

4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.ccoyne.com/

Abigail R Hall

University of Tampa ( email )

401 W Kennedy Blvd Box O
Tampa, FL 33606

Scott Burns

Southeastern Louisiana University ( email )

Hammond, LA 70402
United States

Ursinus College ( email )

Collegeville, PA 19426-2562
United States
2259371098 (Phone)
2259371098 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.scottburnsecon.com

American Institute for Economic Research

PO Box 1000
Great Barrington, MA 01230
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
566
Abstract Views
3,492
Rank
89,189
PlumX Metrics