Has Thailand Succeeded in the War on Drugs?

Abstract

This research case outlines the fundamental questions concerning the direct and indirect effects of drug eradication policy. While proponents argue that the war on drugs is successful in deterring the illicit drugs use and production and drug-related crimes, opponents are skeptical in the effectiveness of the policy in reducing the drug market and warn against the possibility that such policy may even exacerbate drug-related problems. The study further unravels the seemingly unrelated lessons from prohibition policies in the United States, Mexico, the Philippines, and Thailand and unifies the findings amongst these countries with fundamental concepts in microeconomic theory such as partial equilibrium analysis and price elasticity of demand. Empirical evidence of demand for Methamphetamine in Thailand from the author’s own research is also discussed.