Marijuana Legalization Progress in U.S. Shows Signs of Harming Mexican Cartels

janklow

just saying, drug warriors...

Marijuana Legalization Progress in U.S. Shows Signs of Harming Mexican Cartels

It's a week or so old, but this Daily Caller story has some hopefully timeless trend-setting to report on how the some state level ? legalization in the U.S. might be harming Mexican drug cartels, from indications of amounts captured on the border and Mexican murder numbers.

The meat:

Homicides in Mexico have dropped from 22,852 in 2011 to 15,649 as of 2014, which tracks relatively closely with the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington, although the link between the two events is not conclusive.

Last year, agents from the U.S. Border Patrol seized just 1.9 million pounds of marijuana. While that may seem like a large amount, it actually constitutes a 24 percent reduction from the 2.5 million pounds seized in 2011. On the domestic side, Mexican authorities in 2013 seized just 1,070 tons, which marks the lowest amount since 2000.

“Two or three years ago, a kilogram [2.2 pounds] of marijuana was worth $60 to $90,” Nabor, a 24-year-old ? grower in the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa, told NPR. “But now they’re paying us $30 to $40 a kilo. It’s a big difference. If the U.S. continues to legalize ? , they’ll run us into the ground.”

Another nail in the coffin for drug cartels is the gradual trend of leniency towards marijuana in Mexico. As of 2009, the country decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

There is no particular reason that the production and sale of a crop should be associated with violent mayhem and empowering criminals whose comparative advantage in life is the ruthless use of force. Decisions by governments across the globe (largely led by the U.S.) to outlaw certain substances have created that bizarre and awful situation when it comes to marijuana and other drugs, and those governments have the power to change that situation. Thankfully, there are some signs that the exercise of sense on the part of some states is making that change.

alissowack

I guess it would be a good thing if this keeps Mexican cartels from making a profit. Maybe it's just me, but I would like to think the cartels are a lot more resourceful in what drugs they offer illegally. If not, then they are going to have to find a new hustle.

Swiffness!

Great news that you knew was coming but....



Yeah, imma have to throw a "Correlation does not imply causation" penalty flag on the murder stats going down.

There's more than enough Heroin money left worth dying for......and like I've said on multiple occasions, I'd really rather have the Cartels slangin H than ? Wall Street.

The root problem is how ? Mexico's government is, anyway. That was my takeaway from this book. The longest, most stable government Mexico had was a deeply corrupt single-party deal where the criminals were taxed along with everyone else.

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HafBayked

it was gone happen anyway cuz the cartels still pushin that boogie....nobody smokes that ?

janklow

Swiffness! wrote: »

Yeah, imma have to throw a "Correlation does not imply causation" penalty flag on the murder stats going down.
There's more than enough Heroin money left worth dying for......and like I've said on multiple occasions, I'd really rather have the Cartels slangin H than ? Wall Street.

well, to be clear, i don't presume it's going to stop/decrease violence in and of itself. but i would MUCH rather legal grow operations in the US take in the money as opposed to cartels.

Swiffness! wrote: »

The root problem is how ? Mexico's government is, anyway. That was my takeaway from this book.

this book is, ironically, currently sitting in my box of "to read" books
that said, i don't see how funding cartels DOESN'T help keep Mexico's government from being ? , so...