The 1987 Omnibus Drug Bill requires the U.S. Department of State to develop a list of all major illicit drug-producing and drug-transit countries. Inclusion on the list has an immediate effect, because sanctions include cutting off foreign assistance, other than humanitarian and counternarcotics aid. In addition, the U.S. will block loans by the World Bank to countries that are included on the list.

Major Illicit Drug Producing Country

is defined in the statute as any country producing "during a fiscal year five (5) metric tons or more of OPIUM or opium derivative, 500 metric tons or more of coca, and 500 metric tons or more of MARIJUANA." (One metric ton equals 1.102 tons.)

The major source countries for HEROIN are Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Lebanon; Myanmar (formerly Burma), Thailand, and Laos; Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia. Heroin production rose dramatically in South America in...