Craig Menefee

California, USA

writer

Interesting - the article acknowledges the role of international price differences as a driver for this phenomenon. From one point of view, that makes it a form of black market, or unregulated trade as a byproduct of laws that make it artificially profitable in the countries where it occurs. From another view, these traders are simply engaging in a form of arbitrage. It wouldn't be profitable if national governments established a universal, reasonable cost for prescription medicines. Good luck getting that by the U.S. drug industry, of course. In any case, I'm surprised to see the U.N. get into the victimless crime prosecution business. Differing trade laws create these markets, and harsher prohibition will only create more prisons and larger enforcement bureacracies. In this case the noted problems seem more a medical than a legitimate criminal matter. Fix the trade laws and the arbitrage will disappear.