WASHINGTON, CMC – According to news reports, US President Joe Biden has included Jamaica among four CARICOM countries labeled as major drug transit or major illegal drug-producing countries for the fiscal year 2025.
Along with Jamaica, the other countries are The Bahamas, Belize, and Haiti. These nations play a big role in the flow of drugs or in producing substances that significantly affect the United States, including those that supply chemicals used to make certain drugs.
Other countries on the list include Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.
Biden mentioned he is acting under powers given to him by the U.S. Constitution and laws, specifically section 706(1) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003.
He explained that a country being on the list doesn’t necessarily mean that its government isn’t trying hard to fight drugs or cooperate with the U.S. He emphasized that the list isn’t a punishment.
The countries are listed based on a mix of geographic, commercial, and economic reasons that allow drugs or chemicals to be moved or made there, regardless of a government’s efforts to control narcotics.
He pointed out that changes in the law now include countries that supply chemicals used to make drugs that greatly impact the U.S.
Biden identified Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela as not meeting their obligations under international drug agreements in the past year. He also stated that U.S. support for these countries is crucial for American interests.
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated about 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2023, down by three percent from about 111,029 in 2022.
President Biden noted this is the first drop in overdose deaths since 2018, suggesting that his administration’s investments are making a difference.
Still, he acknowledged that while the U.S. is working on local drug issues, it also sees drug problems as a global issue needing international cooperation.
To solve this, his administration created a Global Coalition in July 2023 with over 150 countries to tackle threats from synthetic drugs.
Biden noted that participation in this coalition has tripled over the last year, showing that countries worldwide are facing rising issues with the manufacturing and trafficking of dangerous synthetic drugs.
In March, a United Nations body approved a resolution led by the U.S. aimed at preventing overdoses and improving international data sharing on this urgent matter.
This body also decided to impose international controls on chemicals used to make illegal fentanyl, methamphetamine, and MDMA, making it tougher for trafficking networks to use these substances.
Biden stated that building strong, lasting partnerships with key allies is essential to fight the fentanyl crisis and dismantle criminal organizations that profit from it.
Through initiatives like the North American Drug Dialogue and the Trilateral Fentanyl Committee, the U.S., Mexico, and Canada have enhanced collaboration to tackle illegal drug production, promote public health, control precursor chemicals, and work with the private sector to combat the creation of illegal synthetic drugs.