Rise of synthetic opioid fentanyl leads to exodus of Mexico’s poppy farmers
16 April 2020 |
1:12 pm
In Mexico, poppy farming and the production of opium paste – heroin's main ingredient – have long been the main source of revenue for many impoverished rural communities. But this is no longer the case, with both organised crime and addicts now turning to fentanyl – a cheap, ultraconcentrated and synthetic opioid – as their drug of choice. Our Mexico correspondents Laurence Cuvillier and Matthieu Comin report from Guerrero State, where a rural exodus is underway.
Related
3 days ago
Bild tabloid Editor-in-Chief Julian Reichelt was fired after The New York Times detailed misconduct toward female employees. The case is now making waves internationally.
21 Oct
Experts question whether Google's planned $1 billion investment in Africa stands to benefit the continent in the long term. Instead, some see it as another avenue for big tech companies to acquire budding start-ups.
4 days ago
It has been five years since the German government enacted the prostitution protection act. Lawmakers say it protects vulnerable people; many sex workers say it is discriminatory, stigmatizing and has increased risks.
21 Oct
Ghana's smock garment used to be reserved for royal use. These days, a flood of imported yarn has opened the market to near universal use, and the smock has become a Ghanaian clothing icon. Yet the country's collapsed cotton industry has left the financial fortunes of weavers and smock makers hanging by a thread.
21 Oct
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces a comprehensive in-principle free trade agreement with the UK, arrived at after 16 months of talks. London said the deal ends tariffs on British exports such as clothing, footwear, ships and bulldozers. It estimated that trade between the two countries last year was worth £2.3 billion ($3.2 billion, 2.7 billion euros).
2 days ago
The two sides seem worlds apart after the first day of discussions, which were intended to be about rising energy prices, but ended up being overshadowed by an increasingly bitter feud over the rule of law.
3 days ago
"Big John," as the dinosaur was nicknamed, went for millions above the initial estimate from French auction house Druot.
2 days ago
Germany is relatively new to the list of countries with a minimum wage. Now, government coalition talks are considering raising it without using the country's independent expert commission. There are pros and cons.
2 days ago
The head of the Fairtrade Foundation says consumers, businesses and governments need a ‘reality check’ on the situation facing farmers in developing countries. CEO Michael Gidney speaks to FRANCE 24 ahead of the COP26 climate conference, where Fairtrade will be bringing a pledge for businesses. In this pledge, companies will promise to invest in more sustainable supply chains and provide guaranteed prices to farmers.
1 day ago
Luxembourg joins only two other countries and a handful of US states in decriminalizing the cultivation of cannabis for recreational use. However, Germany may not be far behind.
1 day ago
A cocktail bar owner in Bangkok hopes fruity mocktails seasoned with Kratom, a recently decriminalised tropical herb, will help keep his business afloat amid a seven-month ban on alcohol service in the Thai capital. The city, once a popular nightlife spot, is under a curfew and bars, pubs and restaurants are prohibited from selling alcoholic drinks as part of coronavirus restrictions.
9 mins ago
Facebook reported an annual 17 per cent jump in third-quarter net profit, driven by an increase in daily active users and strong advertising sales despite the platform facing multiple controversies that have led to calls for tighter regulation.
Latest
9 mins ago
Facebook reported an annual 17 per cent jump in third-quarter net profit, driven by an increase in daily active users and strong advertising sales despite the platform facing multiple controversies that have led to calls for tighter regulation.
22 mins ago
Dairo Antonio Usuga was captured in a jungle raid involving 500 police personnel and 22 helicopters. President Ivan Duque compared it to the fall of Pablo Escobar.
22 mins ago
A US envoy said North Korea's recent weapon tests were "concerning and counterproductive." Last week, the isolated nation carried out tests of a new type of ballistic missile launched from submarines.
35 mins ago
Israel is planning to build more than 1,300 more homes in the occupied West Bank. The number adds to some 2,000 approved in August and increases fears for an already elusive peace process.
1 hour ago
"The civilian-led transitional government should be immediately restored," State Department spokesman Ned Price tells reporters after a military takeover in Sudan.
