Activity 10

The phrase “drug dealer” comes with a strong negative connotation, both to myself and the majority of society. The stereotypical “drug dealer” would look something like a large, imposing male individual, mid-30s, with muscles, tattoos, scars, and, of course, guns. He would also have plenty of henchman that work for him, like his own Secret Service. His background would probably be that of an underprivileged, lower class family, which is what would have gotten him into the business to begin with, because the monetary benefits would have been too great to pass up.

This image, however, is nothing like the subjects of Dorm Room Dealers. The dealers in the book are college students, ranging from eighteen to twenty-four years of age. Three of the 50  subjects were even women. Another surprising factor was that 44 of the 50 subjects interviewed were Caucasian. The authors went as far as to say that they “simply did not encounter many who were nonwhite.” The authors also made a statement about how all but one of the dealers (49 out of 50) came from either “middle-upper class or affluent/upper class”, which further disproves my stereotypical drug dealer. I understand that there are college drug dealers that are normal kids, but you always have the feeling that they’re the exception to the rule, and that belief that those that are students and whatnot are more likely to do it because of a necessity for the financial benefit. However, based on the information the authors provided, these are easily the most prevalent types of dealers, while the prototypical Hollywood drug dealer is a rarity. 

Mohammad and Fritsvold used the same research method in Dorm Room Dealers as the author of Cocaine Kids, ethnographic investigations. This involved them developing relationships over a period of months to “secure key dealer interviews and otherwise gain the access necessary to physically observe drug transactions and the day-to-day activities of the dealers.” The goal of such a method was to “evaluate people in terms of what they actually do.” This would ultimately provide the most accurate material for their study, allowing the dealers to deal and the consumers to consume. When dealing with a subject shrouded in mystery such as the drug trade, ethnography is probably the most effective manner in which to obtain critical details about everyone involved in the system.

Comparative Policy

I chose to do my comparative policy paper on the country that boasts Candice Swanepoel, Nelson Mandela, and the 2010 World Cup, none other than South Africa. While the beaches and local accents are at an all-time high, the state of the South African drug culture could be at an all-time low. Amid the political unrest, statistics are showing that drug use is growing amongst teenagers, use of cocaine, meth, heroine, and marijuana are all up, and the government in turmoil is struggling to do anything about it. How bad is the problem? Studies by the Anti-Drug Alliance of South Africa are now circling that claim as many as one out of three adults in South Africa is a regular drug user (Rademeyer, p. 1). Obviously these numbers are hard to confirm and bring skepticism due to the fact that the sample of about 57,000 comes from a population of roughly 53 million (roughly 0.1%), but regardless, this survey certainly raises an eyebrow about the potential of a prominent problem A more representative study by the same institution found that 13% of South Africans have a drug or alcohol disorder. Regardless of which survey is closer to the real number, it’s still obvious that there is a problem with substance abuse in South Africa.

One element of South African drug culture that isn’t disputed is the rapidly rising popularity of Nyaope. Nyaope, which is also referred to as whoonga, is currently the most problematic drug in South Africa. It is a powdered cocktail of various ingredients, including low-grade heroin, rat poison, sometimes cleaning detergents, and HIV medication, all of which is sprinkled over a joint, usually containing marijuana or dagga (Ross, p. 1). The real kicker is that, even though the base of the cocktail is heroin, which is illegal in South Africa, Nyaope is not illegal. The reason being is because, if heroin can somehow be substituted, someone cannot be arrested for smoking a concoction of legal substances (Mceachran, p. 1).

An area in which South Africa finds similarity to the United States is the in how each country deals with marijuana. Cannabis is considered illegal in South Africa, just as it is in the United States, and is classified as a Schedule 1 drug; however, those laws are rarely enforced due to the enormity of the industry in the country combined with the high levels of corruption within the police force. This is similar to the United States, where marijuana is beginning to be decriminalized by the federal government in certain states that elected to issue written legislation to legalize the drug. However, the difference is the way that the code of law is written to deal with marijuana possession in each country. In South Africa, penalties for drug possession are written as the following: a Class A charge warrants a maximum sentence of 7 years’ imprisonment or a fine or both. A Class B charge warrants a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment or a fine or both. A Class C charge warrants a maximum sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment or a fine or both (Drug Info, p. 1). In United States, on the other hand, a first offense of marijuana possession carries a maximum sentence of one year and a maximum fine of $1,000. A second offense for marijuana possession includes a minimum 15 day sentence and a maximum fine of $2,500. A third offense for marijuana possession in the United States includes a minimum 90 day sentence and a maximum fine of $5,000 (NORML, p. 1).

In dealing with alcohol, South Africa has some disparities between their policies and that of the United States. In South Africa, the legal drinking age is 18, while in the United States, it is 21 years of age. However, despite being more lenient in terms of the drinking age, South Africa is tougher than the United States when it comes to drinking and driving. In the United States, it is well-known that the legal driving limit is a 0.08g per 100mL blood-alcohol content. In South Africa, though, the legal blood-alcohol content for driving is 0.05g per 100mL, and the legal breath alcohol limit is 0.24mg per 1000mL (Drunk Driving laws, p. 1).

The war on drugs is one that every country attacks with methods they believe to be most effective. However, in countries in which the hierarchal power structure is losing credibility, such as South Africa, this war looks more and more like a losing effort due to the lack of enforcement and transparency. One can only hope South Africa corrects their issue of being the largest drug trafficker in all of Africa soon. 

Mceachran, R. (2013, August 27). In South Africa, a Deadly New Drug Is Made With HIV Medications. Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/08/in-south-africa-a-deadly-new-drug-is-made-with-hiv-medications/278865/

Rademeyer, J. (2013, March 28). Claim that 1 in 3 South Africans are drug users based on flawed survey - Africa Check. Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://africacheck.org/reports/flawed-survey-claims-a-third-of-south-africans-are-drug-users/

Ross, W. (2013, September 18). South Africa's craze for heroin-marijuana cocktail. Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-24137003

Drug Info Western Cape. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://druginfo.westerncape.gov.za/legal-consequences-drug-related-offences

Drunk Driving laws in South Africa. (2012, December 24). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://www.news24.com/Travel/South-Africa/Drunk-Driving-laws-in-South-Africa-20121211

NORML.org - Working to Reform Marijuana Laws. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://norml.org/laws/item/federal-penalties-2#mandatory