Summary OCR A-level Geography Disease Dilemmas Case Study - the opium poppy
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Course
Disease Dilemmas (H481)
Institution
OCR
Book
OCR A Level Geography Second Edition
Highly detailed case study overview of the opium poppy for the medicinal plant topic within disease dilemmas. This includes the extraction and uses of opium derivatives, sustainable and unsustainable harvesting metrics including relevant countries and legislation, and efforts used to control use of...
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Disease Dilemmas (H481)
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Growing Conditions & Distribution:
Historical Production & Trade:
o Temperate, warm climates with clear sunny days & ~35°C (long-day
plant) 18th Century ‘Silk Road’ routes running from Europe – China
o Only moderate amount of water required Britain started Opium Wars in 1800s to fund desire for Chinese tea by smuggling Indian opium into China
o Grows in a variety of soils from slightly acidic to neutral via East India Company = increased rate of addiction among Chinese = carried to America by immigrant
o Native to southeast Europe & Western Asia workers during Gold Rush
o Legal production: India, Turkey, Tasmania (AUS)
o Illegal production: Afghanistan, Colombia, Burma Legal Production & Trade:
Regulated by UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs & law enforcement
Medicinal Importance: agencies of individual countries
2000 tons of opium produced annually
Used in Ancient Greek medicine but banned by early Christians as viewed Turkey:
pain as punishment from God that must be endured - 70,000-100,000 small-scale farmers licensed each year to grow opium
Morphine: 10x more powerful > processed opium for severe pain relief poppies
- 600,000 people can earn a living
(eg: end-of-life cancer care), normally injected
- export income of >$US60mil
Codeine: moderate pain relief & cough suppression, normally taken
orally, psychoactive & habit-forming, most commonly consumed opiate Illegal Production & Trade:
in the world
Attractive for organised crime groups as – in great demand, profitable to
All heroin made illegal in 1926 in UK but could previously buy over-
produce, takes up little space, easy & quick transport, long & stable shelf life
counter Key Idea 5a: Case study of a Afghanistan:
Morphine consumption globally increased by >4x in past 2 decades due medicinal plant – Opium Poppy - 90% of world’s illegal opium produced there in 2010 using labs hidden in
to increasing consumption in ACs – more healthy people living longer = mountains & caves typical of local topography
more old-age diseases needs pain medication Fact File: - 2015-2016 = 10% increase in total area under poppy cultivation
- production boomed after bans enforced in other countries & under Taliban
Opium = milky latex produced from control (mujahedin take over) both after Soviet military intervention (1979)
Sustainable Use – reducing illegal trade: unripe seed pods of Papaver & post-takeover in 2021
somniferum - worth >2/3 of entire agricultural sector in 2016
1. Alternative incomes – high value of nuts & fruits + labour absorption (eg: Contains class of alkaloids called - farmers get 1% of international value of heroin but this is more than what
reopening of raisin processing plants in Afghanistan) = good alternative opiates – includes morphine (8-14% they would get with other crops, rest of profits go to crime/militant groups
BUT traditional crop prices have fallen & nearly 200,000 households in by dry weight in raw opium) &
Afghanistan still depended on illicit drug crops in 2011 codeine Sustainable Consumption:
2. Legalise opium production – gained support in EU & Canada since 2011 & How is it produced? 1. Education – prevention focussed on at-risk groups (youth, homeless, prisoners)
will help mitigate global painkiller shortage BUT unlikely to be successful 2. Media campaigns – little effectiveness especially in face of ‘heroin chic’ fashion
in Muslim LIDCs (Afghanistan) as compounding issues of anti-drug 1. Unripe seedpod incised with multi- look in 1990s = youth especially at risk & compounding issue of HIV from
Muslim beliefs & corruption (opium growing banned by Taliban in 2000) bladed tool & opium ‘gum’ allowed needles
to ooze out 3. Treatment & rehab. that encourages people to come forward – must include
3. Crop destruction – LEAST EFFECTIVE; 102 people killed during 2012
2. Fluid scraped off & air-dried counselling, guidance, motivation, medical treatment & social integrations that
poppy eradication campaign as desparate farmers resort to violence to
3. Opium resin placed in bags/rolled are personalised, transit institutions should also be used to integrate people
protect fields from destruction, Taliban insurgents get >US$100mil into balls for sale back into normal life
annually from taxing farmers & drug-producers in areas they control, 4. May be used directly/chemically 4. Criminalisation – carried out by many ACs in 1920s but limited effectiveness as
dealing & trading in Afghanistan is relatively peaceful but wider pattern modified to produce synthetic has just driven consumption underground and made it harder for addicts to
of conflicts including drug-related fighting actually boosts illicit trade opioids (heroin) come forward
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