Dress Rehearsal: The CCMS and Narcotics, 1970–1972

Abstract

Examines the first international initiative undertaken under the auspices of the CCMS—namely, its discussion of the problem of narcotics in summer 1970. The Americans intended to use the CCMS in order to facilitate a Turkish decision to end poppy production in Anatolia. However, this created the picture of the USA using an alliance process in order to put pressure on a member, and thus made the smaller allies instinctively turn against the US initiative. At that time, the European allies also thought that narcotics did not represent a threat to their societies. The chapter examines the efforts of the Americans to have the problem discussed at the CCMS plenary sessions, although the USA never suggested that it become a ‘proper’ pilot study of the committee.