Ted Galen Carpenter on Drug Prohibition's Role in Mexico's Violence

Since January 2007 there have been more than 6,800 drug-war related deaths in Mexico, and Mexican drug cartels continue to expand their operations in American cities. Washington's response has been to expand its prohibitionist efforts with the Mérida Initiative, a U.S.­Mexico anti-drug-trafficking program. Historically, however, prohibitionist policies have had little success in reducing the flow of drugs. Ted Galen Carpenter, Cato's Vice President for Defense and Foreign Policy Studies, suggests a new strategy must be tried.

This video was produced by Caleb Brown ( http://www.twitter.com/cobrown ) and Austin Bragg ( http://www.twitter.com/habragg ).

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ted
• galen
• carpenter
• drug
• prohibition
• violence
• mexico
• texas
• cartels
• cato
• institute
• forum

[bweazel]

Haha. Now you know why it's kept illegal. Why legalize it when you're being paid off 400,000 a month?

[joewilder]

This problem could be solved overnight. Listen Mexico. Legalize marijuana immediately. Make Mexico the premier marijuana agribusiness in the world. Contrary to the belief that marijuana is bad for people, it is actually good. Turn your outlaws into world class entrepreneurs. Grow your economy, boost your tourist. Make your country safer. Peace, Love. God bless you.

[preacherofreason]

too bad the legalization of drugs is pretty much impossible in this country of bible-thumping sheep. reasoned arguments unfortunately don't carry much weight when presented to the brainwashed millions. but, then again, maybe something good will come of this progressive movement that elected obama. let's cross our fingers

[dullsvillain]

Step 1 Legalize Marijuana. Control it and tax it like alcohol and use the revenues to help Mexico, secure borders and begin the more complicated process of the legal prescription of narcotics to addicts .dispensed at clinics which would also offer rehab counseling. Only the destruction of profits can have any lasting effects on the criminal industry.

[x37green]

Since demand drives the drug market, and recreational use of drugs by Americans IS the demand, then a war on drugs is a war on our neighbors, our friends and our families. No matter what we think about the effects of drugs, we need to stop this tyranny.

[Elasaltaculos]

It is absolutely right. Criminalizing drugs have led the most violent and ambitious people to run the drug cartel.

People like Pablo Escobar went as far as to push the Colombian government to change their constitution as to prohibit extradition. He murdered the political class and once blew up an airliner in sa failed attempt to assassinate Cesar Gaviria, the Colombian president at the time (i believe he was the president then). All funded by lucrative drugs.

[LeGioNoFZioN]

very reasoned argument, excellent video

[Erbstank]

there's another great immediate benefit to the legalizing of consumption and production of drugs, and that is the untold windfall of tax revenues, and creation of countless corresponding peripheral jobs on American soil, it is a win win situation, whichever way you look at it.

but as long as the Wall Street bankers, sorry I meant to say the CIA and DIA get to call the shots, drugs will never be legalized to the jubilee of the evil men who have kept this trade under their monopoly.

[whoo689]

I never understood why foreign governments needed all this extra money from foreign gov'ts to fight 'terrorism' or drugs or whatever. I mean, if your economy is doing fine, and you're a developing or developed country, surely the gov't will be able to get enough tax revenue, if tax rates are low enough, to afford things for counterterrorism or crime-fighting. Who are these foreign gov'ts buying the weapons from that cost so much? Foreign vendors?? Come on, gov'ts!

[whoo689]

But to treat both instances as somehow one and the same is so ridiculous, I can't even describe it. At least go directly after the bad guys, not punish the good guys because we think they'll inadvertently help the bad guys.

And is it REALLY impossible for the Colombian government to keep a tight grip on FARC without our gov't assistance? I mean, honestly. Surely the Colombians can cut costs and manage to get enouigh money to fund anti-farc efforts somehow.