At least 80 percent of all illegal drugs used in the United States, measured by U.S. dollar value, start out in other countries. This includes all of the cocaine and heroin, and much of the marijuana, used in America. The plants from which these drugs are made are a source of cash for many parts of the world, especially isolated and impoverished areas in Latin America and Asia. To some extent, they provide support for poor farmers and political refugees living in these regions. However, they also provide a source of income for terrorist groups and organized crime networks.

Foreign Assistance Act

The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 requires the president to draw up a list each year of the major illegal drug-producing or drug- transit countries, nicknamed the majors list. The act requires that most kinds of U.S. government foreign aid to any country on...