Convergence: a review of narco-terrorism for the osteopathic family physician

Abstract

On September 28, 2001, the United Nations Security Council adopted Security Council resolution 1373 on counter-terrorism in which it noted with concern the close connection between international terrorism and transnational organized crime, illicit drugs, money laundering, illegal arms trafficking, and illegal movement of nuclear, chemical, biological, and other potentially deadly materials. The long “war on terror” and the “war on drugs” are linked by finance and by civilian casualties. The purpose of this paper is to explore and examine the threat presented from the convergence of narco-trafficking and terrorism. The drug of choice for this review article will be heroin (diacetyl morphine). The geographic focus will be the heroin epicenter of the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey). The Golden Crescent supplies 90% of the world's heroin. Opium cash crop farmers and heroin users provide passive support to narco-terrorist organizations. The physician's role within counter-terrorism is to provide medical support in prevention, deterrence, and response to illicit opiate use.