70% Of The Violence In Mexican Drug War Is Fueled By Marijuana Trafficking

• March 18, 2009

I’m reading along in this article about Senators wanting to address border violence caused by Mexican drug cartels, and I’m seeing the politicians wanting to fight it with more restrictions on American gun rights, and then I came across this paragraph:

“We’re not winning the battle,” Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard told lawmakers. “The violence that we see in Mexico is fueled 65 to 70 percent by the trade in one drug: marijuana.”

Marijuana.
So, if we’re going to take extraordinary legal action to stop this violence, would it make more sense to enact laws that allow more freedom instead of less freedom? Meaning, shouldn’t we look at just ending the losing battle against marijuana, which is fueling so much violence and crime both in Mexico and the United States, instead of looking at further impinging upon American gun rights?
After all, it’s not the guns that are committing the crimes. It’s the drug traffickers who are desperate to bring their cash crops to American markets to meet demand that hasn’t be diminished in the least by decades of draconian law enforcement.

Tags: Asshats, Domestic Issues, Politics

http://Array Buzz

Now your using your head Rob.
Brent

It's an interesting situation. But wouldn't you know, just when people need self-protection the most, that is when the politicians are most apt to take it away.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

Now your using your head Rob.

I am consistently pro-freedom. Too bad you aren't.
robert108

It's the users who are driving this, Rob; demand creates supply, and until the message gets out that there is no upside to pot consumption, this insanity will continue, in one form or another. Even if you "license" arguers get your way, and bring pot into common use, the consequences of that will be disastrous. There will be advertising, target the young and impressionable, and lots of land now used for food will be planted in pot, just like what happened with the ethanol debacle. Even if that doesn't happen, the problems that go with massive importation will continue.
Drug use is destructive and stupid, and legalization will only make it more widespread, not less destructive and stupid.
Taxing and regulating it will only enlarge greedy govt.
Bill

You are completely ignorant of pot. Studies have proven, it is easier on the body in terms of negative impact then alcohol could ever hope to be.

Statistics don't lie Robert, quit hanging on to your old fashioned, and largely disproven beliefs. Pot is about as dangerous as Global Warming haha.
jimmypop

Drug use is destructive and stupid, and legalization will only make it more widespread, not less destructive and stupid.

its less addictive and less damaging that booze and smokes/ chew. if you wanna save the world, what we need to do is get rid of booze. that CRAP wrecks families and makes people violent. id be happy to switch booze for weed any day.
2Hotel9

Funny thing is a pot smoker could easily grow their own, thus cutting Mexico out of the equation entirely.

r108, calling for the government to institute prohibition has already failed. Now you are screaming for the government to have 100% total control of all aspects of every single person's life. Exactly how is that American, or in anyway Constitutional?
AR-15

Obama's admin. is using the Mexican drug war to try and bring back the Assault weapon ban. Typical liberals, "we have to do something even if it doesn't work".
What's funny is an ICE agent told Dick Durbin America doesn't need anymore gun control laws, but that asshole just refused to believe him. This ain't about Mexico it's about the libs wanting to wipe their ass with our 2A rights.
Sen. Baucus,Tester, and Bagich, all Dems, publicly told Eric Holder they will give him ZERO support for a new AW ban or any other gun control laws. I called ND's 3 stooges and asked them to do the same. My guess is their abs are still sore from laughing @ me and everyone else I know that called and emailed them.
SigFan

I haven't smoked weed in more than 30 years, so my recollections of it's effects may be a little dim, but I don't ever recall having a weed hangover, puking because I smoked too much, passing out from smoking too much or many of the other wonderful side-effects of alcohol. I think the worst thing that ever happened to me was that I got such a bad case of the munchies that I actually ate some Hostess Twinkies (I admit that with great embarassment). It might be that weed is a long-term bad for you activity, but so is life – it ultimately leads to death. By keeping this a black-market venture, we continue to enable these criminals to make huge profits exploiting peoples desire to get a buzz and facilitate mayhem and violence to protect those profits.

The arguments against all mind or mood altering substances have merit, but unfortunately mankind has known about these things for quite a long time – the genie's out of the bottle, too late. Same thing applies to the gun-control lobby. Firearms technology is well understood and has been around for a long time. If people want to find ways to destroy brain-cells or larger parts of themselves and others they will. Just because the government places a prohibition on it doesn't mean that they can change human nature. So, my vote would be to de-criminalize and tax the crap out of the distribution of weed, just as they do with alcohol and tobacco.
Pilgrim

I've said it right here many times – make it legal for the user to grow and consume their own on their own property. Increase the penalties for trafficking.

That would cut the dealer's legs right out from under them. Who would risk buying when you can safely – and legally – grow your own?

Poof. No more Mexican cross border trade.
rsc1835

With the way violence is escalating in Mexico, I can see where people would argue legalizing it. Corruption is so entrenched in the government, it's almost the only viable thing to do to take the illegal profit out of the equation.

-Rick, Latest Project: Acai Berry
Jose

"We're not winning the battle," Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard told lawmakers. "The violence that we see in Mexico is fueled 65 to 70 percent by the trade in one drug: marijuana."
What on earth would lead you to believe that marijuana is the cash crop of the cartels??
It is cocaine, my friends, that brings in the bucks! marijuana is what they send with the scrubs so they can get caught while the big timers bring in the kilos of the white!
Control the cocaine market!! Marijuana is a harmless herb, which im sure every senator or attorney general has tried before!!
robert108

You are completely ignorant of pot. Studies have proven, it is easier on the body in terms of negative impact then alcohol could ever hope to be.

All you have done is to prove that it is less harmful than something else that is harmful. It's still harmful.
Why add another intoxicant to the "approved" list.

r108, calling for the government to institute prohibition has already failed. I say put it to a vote, and let the American people decide. Now you are screaming for the government to have 100% total control of all aspects of every single person's life. No, I'm calling for it to be put to a vote. Exactly how is that American, or in anyway Constitutional? I believe putting the matter to a vote, along with abortion, is exactly American and Constitiutional.

I think Americans want pot to remain illegal, but am willing to have the matter put to a vote. Are you willing for that to happen?
I just have to note, as always, that none of you pro pot people has made an affirmative argument for pot legalization; what's the benefit? How does using pot benefit anyone?
Why is it that gun ownership is a freedom we enjoy, but using your gun to murder people isn't "freedom" at all?
It's the difference between "freedom" and "license". Even if pot were legal, it would be stupid and destructive to use it. Smart people don't do it. For instance, do you really need a law to tell you that drinking poison is stupid? You're free to do that, btw.
http://forums.kikizo.com/ Eddie_the_Hated

that none of you pro pot people has made an affirmative argument for pot legalization; what's the benefit?

Freedom.

Choices shouldn't be "awarded" by the government based on their merits.
2Hotel9

Ed? Me and you got some issues. This ain't one of them.
People are being imprisoned on a daily basis for the non-violent crime of smoking marijuana, while actual violent criminals are being released on $10,000 bailbonds. And they routinely commit similar crimes, and get low dollar bailbonds. Cause they are already in debt to a bailbondsman.

Pil, enforce laws that already exist. Oops. We done been had this here conversationalism event before!

We came to the event horizon at which enacting "new" laws is entirely counterproductive to enforcement of existing laws. Therefore it is counterproductive to debate, vote on, and enact laws which you will never enforce in the first place.

I think that is the conclusion we actual human beings came to.
Mafario Amicucci

How entrenched did the government allow these animals to get?

Mafario Amicucci,
Spain

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70% Of The Violence In Mexican Drug War Is Fueled By Marijuana Trafficking

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