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Drug-Sniffing Drones Take Flight Over Bolivia

Posted by samzenpus on from the big-nose-in-the-sky dept.

pigrabbitbear writes "Anti-drug squads are now using Brazilian spy drones to sniff out drug labs that dot Bolivia in increasing numbers. Felipe Caceras, Bolivia's top anti-drug official, claims that some 240 drug labs have been busted in Santa Cruz, an eastern lowlands state bordering Brazil, this month alone, all thanks to Brazil's drones."

9 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. countdown to anti-aircraft missles. by Ralph+Spoilsport · · Score: 4, Insightful
    To sniff accurately, they have to fly low. Perhaps a simple anti-aircraft gun will do.

    Of course, the USA could just DO THE RIGHT THING and legalise drugs and remove the profit from the drug cartel system, but then a bunch of congressmen won't get campaign funds to keep it all illegal.

    --
    Shoes for Industry. Shoes for the Dead.
    1. Re:countdown to anti-aircraft missles. by realityimpaired · · Score: 5, Informative

      Seriously? Not even basic research?

      We can find other, more reputable sources... start with the reference list on that Wikipedia article. You would do well to actually do some reading before you decide that it's automatically a bad thing. What has actually been seen is the exact opposite of what you seem to think would happen: because it can be obtained legally with a prescription, and because "addiction" is a legitimate reason for a prescription, the junkies are actually getting it from the hospital, and the overwhelming majority of them actually get addiction counseling and the help they need to break their addiction. In other words, the Netherlands, where heroin is essentially legal, has a *lower* percentage of hard drug users than the rest of the world, not higher.

    2. Re:countdown to anti-aircraft missles. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Thank goodness Heroin is illegal and there are no Heroin addicts in the U.S. It's debatable whether the legalization of drugs would increase or decrease their usage. It's also debatable how secondary crimes are affected. One can easily argue that lower prices would result in less theft and that being able to go into a business establishment instead of the 'bad' part of town could help decouple a lot of the criminal element associated with drugs.

      Look at that classic example of alcohol. How did alcohol related crime during prohibition compare to when it was legal?

      Fun Fact: In 1895, the German drug company Bayer marketed diacetylmorphine as an over-the-counter drug under the trademark name Heroin. The name was derived from the Greek word "Heros" because of its perceived "heroic" effects upon a user.

    3. Re:countdown to anti-aircraft missles. by blind+monkey+3 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Interesting outcome in Portugal after 5 years and after 10 years - there were warnings of doom if they decriminalised at the time - all the drug addicts in europe were going to move to Portugal apparently. Big difference between decriminalised and legalised (imo) though.

      --
      BM3
  2. This is fascist. by elucido · · Score: 3, Funny

    Seriously we are using drug sniffing drones?
    The drones are more dangerous than the drugs in this situation!

    1. Re:This is fascist. by ackthpt · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Seriously we are using drug sniffing drones?
      The drones are more dangerous than the drugs in this situation!

      These are pointing them out. Not bombing them.

      --

      A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    2. Re:This is fascist. by redneckmother · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Seriously we are using drug sniffing drones? The drones are more dangerous than the drugs in this situation!

      These are pointing them out. Not bombing them.

      "Yet."

  3. Low tech is better by Lord_of_the_nerf · · Score: 5, Funny

    Keith Richards strapped to a glider.

    Done.

  4. Re:I think he meant by Dunbal · · Score: 5, Informative

    Except, given a product with a guaranteed standard strength and some education, it's likely they wouldn't ever overdose, which is the point I am trying to make. When have you heard of terminal cancer patients accidentally overdosing on their morphine? Some do it on purpose, choosing suicide instead of the long drawn out death process that awaits them. But that is not by accident. The more opioids you take, the more tolerant you become, and the higher the dose you need to achieve the desired effect but also the more dose you can tolerate. Addicts regularly take doses that would kill you and me very quickly, without their suffering any of the dangerous cardiovascular depressive effects. There is no limit to the amount of opioids a person can tolerate, over time. The limit is the amount of money they can afford to spend daily on their habit.

    As a doctor I happen to know quite a bit about these drugs. It's unfortunate that they have been demonized so much, because you will not ever find a better painkiller, a better cough suppressant, and a better anti-diarrheal medication, all rolled into one. People used to take opium derivatives all the time 100 years ago with little if any professional oversight, and society failed to collapse. But today mention opium and suddenly people are afraid of the boogey-man.

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.