Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

66Mr. Wiggins. Would the stopping of the importation of lawfulmorphine into the United States, in your opinion, tend to stimulatethe Government of Turkey to accelerate its program of cutting downthese provinces where the opium poppy is lawfully grown ?Mr. RossiDEs. I would have to pass on that. Congressman. I wouldhave to check with the State Department and get back to the committee.I just don't know. I am not m a position to know. (See exhibit 6.)Mr. Wiggins. Well, let us suppose that there is no more lawful opiumpoppy grown in Turkey. What impact would that have on organizedcriminal activities in the United States ?Mr. RossiDEs. Well, the impact would be significant, in my judgment,and they would look to other sources, Southeast Asia, otherpossibilities in the Near and Middle East. But clearly you have madea major advance because you have disrupted a known pattern oftrade, of illegal activity.One of the things that we are doing, we are making strenuousefforts to analyze, review and do something about the situation inSoutheast Asia, even though the percentage, we estimate that the percentageof opium coming from there is quite small. There is an enormousamount grown in Burma and Thailand, and most of it is usedin the area, but we are trying now for the first time to be ahead ofthe game instead of our just reacting. In fact, the organized criminalsare not going to stop when they see a profit. We have to have a totalfight. It has to include enforcement, education, research; every possibleway.As I say, I think we have done a good job. I really do. But more["»Q o "t c\ hf* ri on (^Mr. Wiggins. It is generally known that the largest opium producersin the world are India and the Soviet Union with Turkeythird. It is usually stated, however, that there is minimal diversionfrom India and from the Soviet Union.Do you think if we were to ban the lawful importation of morphinethat we run the risk of development of an illicit market in these twoareas ?Mr. RossiDES. I do not.Mr. Wiggins. Well, now let's turn to Mexico. Usually the figure is5 to 15 percent, something of that range, is attributed to Mexico as asource of heroin. It is not grown lawfully in Mexico at all. Mexico isnot one of the—what is it, seven—countries that may lawfully growpoppies ?Mr. RossiDES. Correct.Mr. Wiggins. What impact do you think it would have, if any, inMexico ?Mr. RossiDES. None—no real impact in Mexico—because it is alreadyillegal there as is the growing of hemp. The problem in IVIexico is thatthe growth is in the mountains—very difficult areas to detect—and inaccessibleareas where it is quite difficult to prevent the growth. TheMexican Government, however, has made many strenuous efforts andhas had some success. But a great deal more needs to be done and isbeing done.We have just concluded the fourth or fifth meeting with our colleaguesfrom Mexico, and I commend the efforfs of the Mexican Governmentand the public condemnation by the Mexican Government of