For years, I have argued for an end to drug prohibition. It seems
like a rather simple moral argument to me: If one is free, not a slave,
then one has dominion over his body, mind, etc. He can eat, drink and
read what he chooses, and travel at will.
Alarmingly, this is a minority opinion in America today. We have
become rather comfortable with the notion that recreational drug use,
like alcohol consumption, ruins lives; therefore, it ought to be
illegal. We are comfortable with suppressing the market through law
enforcement, knowing that enforcement only costs money and the lives of
a few criminals and narcs.
But will we be as comfortable if and when the wars between competing
drug cartels move to this side of the border?
It is not as far-fetched as you might think. Consider the findings
of George Friedman of Stratfor Global Intelligence (stratfor.com), a private
intelligence-gathering firm. According to Mr. Friedman, the drug
cartels warring in northern Mexico have actually formed small armies
that are well-equipped and well-trained. In these areas, they actually
rival the Mexican army.
Mr. Friedman says the current violence is a result of drug cartels
fighting each other over who gets to transport the product.
Transportation is one of the four regions of the illicit drug business;
in order, those regions are production, refinement, transportation and
distribution/sales. Production and refinement can take place anywhere
in Latin America, often in Mexico. Transportation is in the border area
of Mexico and the United States.
Can you guess where the distribution and sales area is?
The present war is over transportation rights. The next one may be
over distribution and sales, and if so, it will take place here. If you
want to see what American cities might face in the future, go to
northern Mexico today. Actually, do not do that; it may be a bad
idea.
Meanwhile, according to Mr. Friedman, agents of the cartels are in
Mexico City offering powerful politicians the “silver or lead”
choice—that is, the choice between big money if you cooperate,
and death to you and your family if you do not. As for this war
possibly coming to the United States, ask yourself: Do you think that
American politicians love their families any less than do Mexican
politicians?
On March 27, El Universal reported that two men were caught
performing surveillance on Public Security Secretary Genaro Garcia
Luna’s wife and daughter. They had Luna’s home address.
So we are witnessing the commandeering of an entire country, Mexico,
by drug cartels, with the prospect of private army turf wars in
American cities.
The drug cartels can do this, because they have virtually unlimited
funds and virtually no scruples. I do not know how to work the scruples
angle, but the funding can be stopped through broad-based drug
legalization.
The key term is “broad-based.” There is a temptation among those who
do not take this to heart to compromise by agreeing to legalize
marijuana while keeping the “hard stuff” illegal. This would be a
useless gesture. The idea is to deny funds to the violent criminals,
not to rearrange their product offerings. If people want to buy it, it
must be available above-board.
There may be a temporary increase in recreational drug use after the
suppression ends, though I do not believe that the change will be
dramatic in the long run. Anyone can acquire just about any drug today
(though an old guy like me might have to find a high school kid to make
the connection). Cultural mores are a far greater determining factor
than statute law in affecting drug abuse rates.
It saddens me that so many people engage in this sort of
self-destructive behavior, but I’d prefer an increase in it to the
corruption of our governments and blood in our streets.
An estimated 8,000 people have died over the last two years in
northern Mexico from drug-cartel warfare. Do you still feel
comfortable?
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 6, 2009.
Dear Mr. Jonathan Hoffman, shame on you for condoning legalization of DRUGS in America. Have you lost your marbles, or perhaps you are toking one to many yourself. I cannot believe that you would lay down all ethical morals, and condone legalizing drugs to the American people. Where are your morals Mr. Hoffman? Where does the insanity end? You think legalization of drugs in America will keep your family safe? Or our politician’s families safe? You are missing one very important key point my friend, THIS IS NOT MEXICO! What is the difference with the drug cartel, and Al Capone of the 1920’s? They are all gangsters and hoodlums. You want us to yield to THEM? We beat the gangsters of the ‘20’s, and we would beat these idiots. No offense, but I’m not to sure your dealing with a full deck! When you said and I quote, “The idea is to deny funds to the violent criminals, not to rearrange their product offerings. If people want to buy it, it must be available above-board.” Are you totally nuts? Who do you think would LET the drug cartel wars move to this side of the border? You most certainly undermined your own country’s ability to “reckon” with this type of insanity. Have people become so paranoid, that you want to legalize DRUGS? Can you imagine if all the gangs in the US could just go and buy crack cocaine? You think drive by’s are bad now, just give them more drugs! Not to smart. This independent company/firm where George Friedman of Stratfor Global Intelligence resides, although their reports are assumed accurate in what they report, I see no connection with the US as far as this type of activity is concerned moving to this side of the border. I don’t think the hispanic cartels are that stupid to even try to bring it on this side of the border. It would be like flies on stink, if they were to even try. Our military would be all over them, and they would be shut down in a heartbeat. I have heard of some pretty unusual theories before, but this tops the list. Keep in mind that Mexico is not known for strong government leadership or influences. Crooked cops that are on the take, and there is absolutely no control with the Mexican Military. They have absolutely no value for life, and I am talking about the cartels, and people in some parts of their Government. The day you let drug cartels run your life, is the day you may as well hang it up my friend. In closing, I admire the Tucson Weekly for allowing a true freedom of speech, and I know that this is of your opinion, and not that of the paper, thank God. It’s thoughts like this, that demoralizes our founding fathers of this great nation. You just made them all roll over in their graves, and moan. BUT…you do have a right to your opinion, but I suggest that you perhaps grow a pair, look the Devil in the eye, and spit!! I was in the Vietnam war, and I did not defend this country to legalize controlled substances…get a grip Mr. Hoffman
Mr. Hoffman has a grip, and a fairly good one. He’s right. It’s the prohibition that creates the black market and the crime that goes with it.
I’m a Vietnam Vet too, and there is no ‘moral’ question here concerning legalization of drugs. Taking them out of the alleyways and ghettos, and putting them in stores with clean and controlled doses – and providing medical care when someone can’t handle them.
What *is* immoral is continuing the same failed policies for 70+ years and expecting to still control drugs on our streets when we cannot even keep them out of our highest security prisons. Where does it end?
How many more millions must we put in prison? Who’s going to pay for their care in prison?
Make the cartels deal with a legal market – their product must be pure, fresh, of a certain, constant strength – just like alcohol regulations keeps most of the ‘rot-gut’ out of our stores. It makes sense, and its about time to stop the madness, reefer or otherwise.
Mr. Hoffman is entirely correct. Human behavior cannot be legislated. Mood-altering substances have been with us for millennia, and will continue to be a part of life until the asteroid finally takes us out.
Mr. Halsey, as is the case with most Americans, is completely delusional. And would someone explain to me what the hell being a veteran of that misbegotten Vietnam adventure has to do with defending America…
Well, being a veteran has really nothing to do defending America, I looked at my comment and found nothing in there that says it was about defending America, I was only trying to point out, that I didn’t serve my country, to coward down to the cartel or the crooks of the world like you folks seem to want to do, roll over as it were. This is where Americas morals are heading, then we are in trouble. I think you’ve all had to much sun. I would never condone legalizing drugs. And if you think making the drug cartels ‘Deal With the Legal Markets’ will make cartel problems go away, your living in a dream world. But like I said before, you all have the right to your opinion, and this is after all, America, you can disagree with me, that is your right to do so, but I’m am not bending down to the point of “catering” to the cartels, by letting them sell their “pure, fresh” drugs legally or otherwise. You can do something about it if you want to by writing to your congressman, and local government, but the day Arizona makes it legal, is the day I move out. The cartels are in competition with each other, what make you think that it will neutralize the cartel wars, you are living in a dream world. I reckon the next thing you guys will want to legalize weapons of mass distruction, and prostitution…why not…that is where we are headed with this kind of thinking…I do agree with human behavior cannot be legislated though, that is very true, and untl an asteroid finally takes us out is also correct. But I think, only in my opinion, that the only thing delusional, is that this will solve all of the drug problems, I personally think it will create more., You can’t fix a problem by making it worse. But I guess if you want drugs that bad, then its would be the right thing to do. I like the terms being associated with drugs, and never thought I would live to see the day when the words, “clean and controlled doses”, and “must be pure, fresh”. Wow, you guys are something else. I get what you are trying to say, and I understand the logic, and I get it, but I simply don’t agree with it. My right, Right?
Gary, you obviously missed any and all of the logic for the argument for legalization. Simply, to correct your “logic,” the cartels would be rendered useless. No drug user would need to “meet the man,” supplied by cartels, to get their fix. They could buy it at the local pharmacy and skip the whole illicit production/distribution chain altogether rendering the currently illegal networks useless. It makes simple sense.
You argue the “moral” issues rather than side to logic. With legalization of all drugs the illegal demand drops to practically zero. With no illegal demand there is no legal production. This is simple economics 101 from high school; which you should brush up on.
Additionally, revenue could be generated at the state and federal level via taxes, like alcohol and cigarettes.
Did you also know that alcohol kills more people than all illegal drugs combined? Think about the morality of the sale of the mentioned solvent and its “legality.” Tobacco is another offender with lung cancer.