www.ijsrp.org The Risk Factors of West Africa Illicit Drug Trade

Abstract- West Africa region has seized to be the traditional warehouse and transit routes for illicit drugs from the Andeans stable to America and European drug markets. The influence of the culture of hard drugs has taken a more than a foothold in the region as production, manufacture/processing has passed the experimental stage and consumption is highly potent. The fear is that, the region may turn into theatre of conflict, crimes, violence and lawlessness which is even more favourable condition for the trade. Most scholars and extant literatures has focused on poor economies weak rule of law and corruption as the endogenous causative factors that has made the region vulnerability and flourishing of illicit drug trade, but importantly, deliberately overlooked the exogenous underpinnings such as high demand for drugs, and the vicious, desperate and determined traffickers to feed on this demand. The West and Europe comes to terms with reality, take responsibility, and develop a genuine and pragmatic approach to the issue of drug abuse without which the problem will persist for to eternity. One key area is refocusing on the current repressive drug control policy is imperative to a more humane approach is ideal. Caring for the needy and monitoring of children from onset and giving them proper training- the gap which has that led to the culture of drug abuse is important. I