Drug control is a relative newcomer to the list of global issues that are now an integral part of U.S. foreign policy. While arms control and human rights were already important international issues in the 1970s, drug control lagged behind. In 1971-1972 some members of Congress tried to use foreign-aid restrictions to stop the entry of Turkish HEROIN, but the government did not want to risk hurting relations with an important defense ally over heroin, which was not considered a mainstream drug. The U.S. government found a compromise through diplomatic efforts, which led to the Turkish government severely limiting the cultivation of OPIUM

POPPIES (from which heroin is made) and changing the way in which poppies were processed into legitimate medicinal opium. Parallel diplomatic negotiations with MEXICO resulted in cooperation on MARIJUANA eradication efforts. On the international front, the U...