Las PaZIHónes en Paraíso

While I don’t disagree that the US “war on drugs” plays a part, don’t you think the cartels would find another income source and continue their extortion. With the power they have now, I don’t think it’s likely they would give up if the drug profits dried up.

One hears this comment over and over again. It is true that organized crime is a global business and, as such, is always seeking out new revenue streams. However, that is not an argument for keeping recreational drugs illegal. On the contrary, it is the low hanging fruit that should be picked immediately. Stop Prohibition II. Legalize recreational drugs. Regulate the hell out o' 'em. Fund drug treatment with the taxes. Stop incarcerating a significant portion of our population. And, as Rob points out, you will cut off a huge percentage of their income.

We have spent well over a trillion US dollars since the beginning of the War on Drugs. The United States has the largest percentage of its population behind bars than any other civilization in recorded history. Recreational pharmaceuticals are easier to get than ever before. The drugs are more potent than ever before as the cartels find more efficient ways to transport more contraband. (This is why "rum running" was so popular. You can transport more product per shipment. Before Prohibition I, hard liquor was no where near as popular as beer and wine.) As one retired Orange County, California, judge who presided over drug cases and who was previously a drug prosecutor bringing those cases to trial said, "We could not have done a worse job if we had tried."

The most glaring barbarism about the War on Drugs is that the two most deadly drugs -- nicotine and alcohol -- go on their merry way killing hundreds of thousands each year. Logic and fairness dictate that if we are going to keep other recreational drugs illegal, then we should at least make tobacco and alcohol illegal. But we all know what happened when Prohibition I was tried. Prohibition II has been much, much more damaging to our global society.

How the war on drugs has made traffickers more ruthless and efficient --Vox
The Continued Failure of the Drug War -- Cato Institute
The war on drugs has not only failed, it was worsened drug use -- Baltimore Sun

Disclaimer: I am in no way advocating the use of recreational drugs. You are talking to the wrong guy. I get a buzz off the communion wine at mass. I can't even drink coffee without my hands shaking. However, even if this sad situation does not affect us personally, we all must analyze the situation with an unbiased eye. People are going to consume recreational pharmaceuticals, no matter how deadly or dangerous or severe the consequences. And if people are going to consume them, someone will supply them.

P.S. Oh, boy! We in the United States have just instituted yet another Prohibition, this time on abortion. We have opened up yet another war on ourselves. Everything changes. Some things mutate.