Drug War Daily Digest -- September 23, 2026

US, Canadian, and Latin American lawmakers call for an end to the Trump administration's boat strike campaign, China tightens controls on two more precursor chemicals, and more. 

The number of pot-buying options in Bangkok is likely to shrink dramatically in coming years. (Pixabay)

International

Lawmakers from Across the Americas Call for End to US Boat Strike Campaign. More than 70 lawmakers from the US, Canada, and Latin America called Tuesday for the Trump administration to halt its deadly, year-long campaign of military attacks on boats suspected of being involved in drug trafficking. More than 230 people have been killed in at least 70 attacks on what the US government describes as "narcoterrorists."

"The rights to life, due process and protections against the arbitrary use of force are core principles of democratic rule of law that our countries have committed to uphold. Allegations of drug trafficking, however serious, do not circumvent or override these protections, nor do they justify lethal force against people who pose no imminent threat," lawmakers wrote in a 2-page statement Tuesday. 

Led by Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (D-IL), US representatives signing the letter included  André Carson (D-IN), Greg Casar (D-TX), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Summer Lee (D-PA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar D-MN), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Nydia Velázquez (D-NY)

In addition to calling for an end to the strikes, the signatories called for justice for the victims and urge all other governments in the region to refrain from facilitating what legal experts, human rights organizations, and current and former members of the United States armed forces describe as violations of international law.

They noted that the US government itself has determined that these operations have not significantly reduced the flow of cocaine into the country. They noted that the rights to life and due process, as well as guarantees against the arbitrary use of force, are fundamental principles of the democratic rule of law. And they warned that accusations of drug trafficking, however serious, do not circumvent or override these protections. With the Trump administration having signaled that it plans on continuing these operations and extending them to land-based targets, the legislators also announced their commitment to using their "legislative and oversight authorities to promote transparency and accountability surrounding these extrajudicial killings."

The full statement and the list of signatories are available here.

"Donald Trump is dropping bombs across the Caribbean and Pacific in blatant violation of the law and of fundamental human rights," said García. "This has done nothing to stop the flow of drugs or to make Americans safer. Instead, it has left hundreds dead, families devastated, and communities in fear. Let us call these attacks what they are: illegal extrajudicial killings. I’m proud to stand with legislators from across the hemisphere in opposing these grave crimes."

"In the face of institutional silence and government censorship in Ecuador, this coalition of parliamentarians across the Americas is essential to break the secrecy surrounding covert operations in our waters," said María Verónica Iñiguez Gallardo, Member of the National Assembly of Ecuador. "This transnational statement is a decisive step toward accountability and transparency for our peoples."

"The United States must end its attacks in the Caribbean and Pacific," said Iván Cepeda Castro, Senator from Colombia. "Combating drug trafficking cannot justify sacrificing human life and overriding international law. Latin America and the Caribbean must act together to defend our sovereignty and our region’s right to peace, free from any power’s claim to hemispheric domination."

"Donald Trump’s bombing campaign in the Caribbean and Pacific is both criminal and cruel, and it has done nothing to make our region safer," said Don Davies, Member of the House of Commons of Canada. "Canadians understand what it means to have our sovereignty threatened by our neighbor to the South. That’s why I stand in solidarity with people across the hemisphere in opposing these lawless killings." 

China Imposes Controls on Two Precursor Chemicals Ahead of Meeting with Trump. China announced Tuesday that it will now require permits to ship two additional precursor chemicals for the manufacture of fentanyl or other related synthetic opioids to the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The two chemicals are both piperidone-related compounds.

The move comes ahead of this week's meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. The US has called China the world's largest producer of precursor chemicals for illegal drugs and urged Beijing to move more aggressively against them. The Trump administration cited fentanyl as it imposed tariffs on China last year. (The US Supreme Court has since ruled those tariffs unconstitutional.)

China responded with a March 2025 report detailing its efforts against fentanyl, and after a meeting between Trump and Xi in South Korea last October, Beijing announced export restrictions on 13 precursor chemicals. It added three more to the list in May, after Trump and Xi met again in Beijing. 

Thai Cabinet Approves Bill Restricting Marijuana to Medical Use.

The cabinet on Tuesday approved a draft bill that will tighten control over the marijuana industry. The government loosely decriminalized marijuana in 2022, leading to an explosion of commercial growers and vendors, but Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has reversed course, engineering a crackdown on the burgeoning market. 

According to Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat, the bill will require cultivators to register their operations, so marijuana can be traced from seed to sale. It also increases penalties for violations. Marijuana can legally be obtained only by prescription, and sales are limited to medical facilities. 

Under the loosening of marijuana laws, the number of marijuana shops and gardens grew to more than 10,000, mainly in Bangkok and other tourist zones. Dispensary licenses will expire in stages through 2028, and renewed licenses will only be granted to licensed medical facilities with practitioners on site.