How to Solve the Cocaine Problem || Peter Zeihan
Zeihan on Geopolitics
Peter Zine on the Impracticality and Dangers of Domesticating Cocaine in the United States
Peter Zine answers a Patreon question about the possibility of domesticating cocaine in the United States to take 'advantage of the addiction.' He first lays out the cultivation restrictions: the coca plant needs a minimum of one, preferably two meters of water annually, no dry season, acidic, well-drained soils, and a frost-free climate. He identifies two viable regions: the Andes (around 3,000 feet elevation with constant tropical rainfall but mountains to drain water) and, for industrialized production, select parts of Southeast Asia like Indonesia. He asserts that no region in the United States meets these requirements—not even Florida, which experiences frost and lacks consistent rainfall. Engineering solutions for drainage would not compensate for the climatic mismatch.
From a technical perspective, Zine concludes it 'wouldn't work' to cultivate coca in the U.S. He then addresses legalization from an economic and social standpoint, referencing unnamed studies that indicate any potential reduction in law enforcement costs or increase in tax revenue would be offset by higher healthcare expenditures and increased worker absenteeism. Environmental and economic cases for domesticating cocaine do not exist.
He concludes unequivocally: 'The simplest answer is just not do cocaine.' For those seeking a 'horribly destructive drug' that can be produced domestically, Zine points to fentanyl. Unlike cocaine, fentanyl is synthesized from easily accessible precursor materials sourced from the United States, which is cited as 'the world's largest chemical producer.' Fentanyl can be produced in a garage and 'destroys your body and mind.' Despite highlighting its domestic manufacturability, Zine also recommends avoidance: 'don't do fentanyl either.'