Hidden Nook
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Friday, June 10, 2005
Using Moth's To Destroy Cocaine Plants
[Media Source*]
BOGOTA,Colombia--The plan envisions breeding thousands of beige-colored Eloria Noyesi moths in laboratories, packing them into boxes and releasing them into steamy coca-growing regions of Colombia, the world's main supplier of the drug. The moths, about twice the size of a fly, are native only to the Andean region of South America.
Colombian Environment Minister Sandra Suarez told The Associated Press that the government considers the proposal an "interesting alternative" to existing eradication methods.
Although this plan would probably wipe out the drug industry "as we know it," the moths would probably threaten other species of native to the Columbia region, setting off an ecological disaster. Bringing in foreign moths may prove to be disastrous as bamboo and fire ants are awful reminders why importing different organism's is not always wise or effective (not to mention economical).
In 2000, the Colombian government rejected a proposal by the United States to introduce a fungus called Fusarium oxysporum to coca plants as a means of eradication. Colombia said it was concerned about possible mutations and adverse affects on people and the environment in the delicate Amazon basin, where most of Colombia's coca is grown.
Currently pesticides (probably not helpful either) are the major deterrent against the coco plants. What the government should consider is having American scientists develop a virus/fungus that only attacks the cocaine plants (and their roots) but will not pose any danger towards the rest of the environment (probably feasible with today's technology). Although stopping the spread of Cocaine is a high priority, mankind shouldn't risk his habitat to eradicate a few weeds.
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