Brazilian cities hit by crack epidemic

[soulflower]

Interesting how it's only recently becoming a major problem there:

With an estimated 1 million cocaine users, Brazil is being whipsawed by a problem that some leaders here once thought of as solely an American one. The trend carries worrisome ramifications for the country, whose population of 200 million includes a booming, new middle class, offering a promising market for traffickers, drug-control experts say.

“In Brazil, we have a similar situation to what happened in the United States in the 1980s,” said Eloisa Arruda, who as secretary of justice for Sao Paulo state coordinates the region’s anti-drug policies. “There’s a big growth in crack use in public and people permanently in the streets consuming drugs day and night who are constantly supplied by traffickers.”

There are key differences: Crack hit U.S. cities that were in decline, buffeting minority communities. The battle over the drug trade also led to a record number of homicides in American cities, as some districts became virtual war zones.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...y.html?hpid=z1

[ms maggie]

Interesting how it's only recently becoming a major problem there:

Kind of a Studio 54 flashback.

[Byng]

This surprises me because having lived in Rio for 18 months during the mid-eighties there wasn't anything, drugs included that were not readily available if you chose to indulge. Prescription drugs, if I remember correctly were readily and I think legally available over the counter at most pharmacy's.

Crime rates in general and Murder rates in particular were far higher than the US with the murder rate being at least 4 times higher than the US. But I don't remember those crimes being drug related necessarily but more related to the fact of not having a strong police presence in many parts of the country and no real justice system of any consequence so crimes, even murder were seldom investigated or brought to court.

[zenwalk]

Crime rates in general and Murder rates in particular were far higher than the US with the murder rate being at least 4 times higher than the US. But I don't remember those crimes being drug related necessarily but more related to the fact of not having a strong police presence in many parts of the country and no real justice system of any consequence so crimes, even murder were seldom investigated or brought to court.

Laissez faire justice. Surprised the republicans haven't suggested that to cut government spending.

[Byng]

Laissez faire justice. Surprised the republicans haven't suggested that to cut government spending.

I tell you what, I felt far safer walking the streets of Rio at night and any other Brazilian City than I do New York or many American Cities. If a foreigner is accosted in Brazil you know the reason is robbery. So you hand over what you have and go freely on your way. In New York you can be attacked just because of who you are or what you look like or how you speak!

I was never robbed or accosted in Brazil (apart from by some of the most beautiful women in the world) but I spent my life in shorts and flip-flops, no jewelry and no-more than $20 in cash. If I was going out at night, any place other than for a walk or to a local bar I would take a taxi there and back.

[soulflower]

I think the difference between the US and Brazil is that Crack came and wiped out US cities that were already declining.

Whereas, Brazil's middle class and cities are growing. So it will be interesting to see whether it disrupts Brazil's growth.

[Byng]

I think the difference between the US and Brazil is that Crack came and wiped out US cities that were already declining.

Whereas, Brazil's middle class and cities are growing. So it will be interesting to see whether it disrupts Brazil's growth.

The other difference of course is that Brazil treats drugs as a medical problem rather than a criminal problem and does not throw drug users in jail!