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Monday, May 12, 2008
Put Murderous Cartels Out of Business: Legalize Drugs
By J. Michael Jones
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
“Partner With Southern Neighbors Against Drug Lords,” the recent commentary by Antonio O. Garza, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, is another example of our government's devotion, some would say, “addiction” to the war on drugs. The opening paragraph is designed to cause fear specifically in New Mexicans.
It was a nice touch to mention the Espańola Valley and the heroin problems that exist there, but the “Merida Initiative” is merely a continuation of a failed approach and a waste of $500 million of taxpayers' money. Neither the local fear-mongering approach, nor claims of Garza's convictions can justify the expenditure of one additional penny on the war on drugs.
If it were possible for government officials to step back and objectively consider the last 30 or so years of attempts to control drug use by interdiction of supply or through fear of incarceration they would, by any evaluation standard, have to admit that neither approach has worked.
There has been a continuous escalation of money and violence as a result of these failed policies and the “Merida Initiative” is certain to continue the trend. The stated purpose of the initial $500 million is to shore up enforcement efforts; that means more guns and more violence.
The answer to Mexico's drug cartel problem is to put them out of business, but that won't happen at the end of a gun. It would happen if the U.S. legalized drugs. It is through legalizing not de-criminalizing drugs that criminals are virtually removed from the production, importation, and distribution of drugs for recreational use.
Is it a 100 percent cure for the problems associated with drug use? Absolutely not, but it is a major improvement in the crime problems associated with trafficking.
Legalized means drug production and distributions are controlled and sales are taxed. Legalized means that instead of spending $70 billion annually in failed efforts much of that money could be diverted to treatment and prevention education, with plenty left over. There is little need for the drug cartels if drugs are legalized.
Marijuana is one of the major U.S. cash crops. There is no need to import inferior cannabis when there are so many well regarded regional strains. Opium poppies can be grown just about anywhere. Direct relationships with coca farmers, similar to those with coffee growers, will provide the ingredients for cocaine. After all, where does pharmaceutical cocaine originate?
The simple fact of the matter is that legalized, regulated, taxed recreational drugs can be produced and distributed without involving cartels or other criminals, and the benefits should be enormous.
There are few, if any, of us that are not affected by the prohibition of selected drugs for recreational use. We are impacted in myriad ways, none of which are positive, in so many aspects of our lives that we no longer are aware of the connection.
A rational, objective approach to recreational drug use is legalization, because that is how control of drugs is wrested from criminals around the globe. And, criminals should not be making important decisions about drugs — decisions about purity, quality, quantities, prices and consumers — your child, perhaps?
We, as a people, are not responsible for the problems Mexico is experiencing. Our government, with full assistance from Mexico, has created a situation with a very simple solution. Don't send money, eliminate the need for cartels and do the world a great service.
Before retiring to Los Ranchos de Taos, J. Michael Jones was deputy chief of police in Gainesville, Fla. He is on the speaker's bureau of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Visit www.leap.cc.
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