Blow

The story of Pablo Escobar's death filled front-page newspapers and prime-time television. At last, some people thought, cocaine trafficking will be drastically curtailed or stopped altogether. Wishful thinking, that. When Escobar was killed, and his Medellin organization crumbled, the Cali cartel filled the vacuum. When the Cali cartel was dismantled, smaller organizations and individuals stepped to the plate.

Colombia is trying to replace coca crops with fresh-flower crops. Six out of every ten cut flowers sold in America come from Colombia. But as long as the world demands what Colombian coca growers and processors supply, how reasonable is it to say an end is in sight?

NOTE: Significant portions of Frontline's PBS production, "Drug Wars," are available at the PBS web site.