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‘Mexican’ drug war an outgrowth of drug use in U.S., Canada

As published in the Cape Breton Post: January 9th, 2011

The “Mexican” drug war is often blamed on Mexican law enforcement confusion created by massive organizational changes at the senior levels of their government.
The theory states that overturning established arrangements between the cartels and the previous government has led to power struggles and enhanced violence. The answer, therefore, lies in reforming the Mexican government.
Perhaps a better solution is to address the root causes of this unnecessary situation. The illegality and popularity of recreational drug use in the United States — and Canada, to a lesser extent — empowers those Mexican gangs who arm themselves with military weapons, including rocket launchers and grenades smuggled from U.S. border states like Texas and New Mexico.
Until the governments of Canada and the U.S. cancel the silly and unrealistic “war on drugs,” nothing will change.We must legalize and regulate every recreational drug and dedicate sufficient resources to treatment and education.

Morgan Duchesney