1- 5 November 1999 Drug production and drug dealing have today become a substantial source of revenue, whether for making up budget deficits or for the enrichment of certain individuals, population groups, firms or even whole countries. In sum, the recycling of profits is central to the economy and society in terms of land, real estate and financial assets in that it directly involves businesses and financial institutions. The social transformations stemming from the development of the drug economy reveal a growth in the sectors of illegal activity and their interpenetration with the official sectors of society. They involve the law and the norms and elementary rules of economic and social organization, and they seem to be causing a far-reaching shift in the pattern of development of our societies. These issues, which now concern all parts of the world, take different shape from one region and location to another.
Considerable variations exist with respect to both production and distribution of drugs.
Hence it appears necessary to build up more case-studies which concentrate on specific national and local features, so as to compare the sectors and sections of the population most affected in different societies. The first symposium was held in Paris in April 1997 where the methodology for the research was drawn up. As a result of the Second Annual Conference held in Rio de Janeiro, a first evaluation of the network production showed that the research development improved since the launching of the project. One methodological issue to be made explicit by researchers is the source of data presented. On the second dimension, it was recognized that there is a lack of qualitative data in some countries participating in this research effort.