I've received some firm responses to my hints towards drug legalization. First, relax, because this sin't going to happen anytime soon. I will say, however, that drug legalization would do away with the drug cartels.
The simply economic fact is that the cartels exist because of the market demand for the drugs these cartels offer. Just recently I heard a Columbian official touting about how they have reduced the exportation of cocaine by 15%. people applauded his announcement as good news. But good news to who? Because, economically speaking, this means a high demand along side a reduced supply; the only winners here are the producers, the transporters, and the distributors. All three will just change more for their product, and the buyers will pay it. And when they can't pay it some will turn to crime, thereby becoming a bigger problem for society. All of which helps to make my point that a war against the cartels is futile, because the strong demand for their products means that more will always exist. Kill or arrest ten today and tomorrow twelve more will fill the void.
Has history taught us nothing?
Prohibition (1920-33) was when the U.S. prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages. My own great-grandfathet, Selso Gomez, served prison time in New Mexico for transporting liquor from Mexico to the U.S. And it didn't work. People want what they want—period.
What's important to observe here is that the bands of criminals—the cartels of the day—were done away with once prohibition was done away with.
The simply economic fact is that the cartels exist because of the market demand for the drugs these cartels offer. Just recently I heard a Columbian official touting about how they have reduced the exportation of cocaine by 15%. people applauded his announcement as good news. But good news to who? Because, economically speaking, this means a high demand along side a reduced supply; the only winners here are the producers, the transporters, and the distributors. All three will just change more for their product, and the buyers will pay it. And when they can't pay it some will turn to crime, thereby becoming a bigger problem for society. All of which helps to make my point that a war against the cartels is futile, because the strong demand for their products means that more will always exist. Kill or arrest ten today and tomorrow twelve more will fill the void.
Has history taught us nothing?
Prohibition (1920-33) was when the U.S. prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages. My own great-grandfathet, Selso Gomez, served prison time in New Mexico for transporting liquor from Mexico to the U.S. And it didn't work. People want what they want—period.
What's important to observe here is that the bands of criminals—the cartels of the day—were done away with once prohibition was done away with.
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