DEA Mexico Chief Reyes Lists Reasons To End Marijuana Prohibition
From an article published on NowPublic.
Presently, the United States Federal Government sweepingly includes marijuana (or cannabis) in its ongoing War on Drugs. This classification is arguably a relic of the politically-based vilification of cannabis that began in 1937, and seems to have little to do with actual dangers inherent in the substance itself. Many reasoned assertions have been made to promote legalization and regulation of cannabis, but few speak as loudly as these statistics recently given by one of the Nation's top drug warriors, battling the growing drug-violence in Juarez, Mexico.
During an interview with Al Roker, on his recent MSNBC television, special Marijuana, Inc., DEA Mexico and Central America Chief Raphael Reyes shared some thought provoking facts. He said that fully 60% of the Drug Cartel profits come from the sale of cannabis.
Reyes went on to say that:
- “Marijuana is the cartel's cash cow. Cheap to grow, and extremely profitable.”
- “The tried and true method of making money has always been marijuana. It is what allows them to further their basis of operations into other drugs, for example cocaine, heroin and meth-amphetamine. They are all fueled by the proceeds generated through marijuana.”
- “The US consumer is their #1 customer.”
Put in another way, if the United States, legalized, taxed and regulated the sale of cannabis, the drug cartels simply could not sustain their operations either in United States or in Mexico.
So, while it may appear to some to be a radical idea, in fact, taxation and regulation of cannabis would pull the plug on the cartels, and save the billions of dollars Reyes says are presently spent on attempts to eradicate marijuana trafficking. More importantly, regulation and taxation would save the lives of police officers that are being, as Reyes points out, kidnapped, tortured and murdered by drug cartels in their vigorous and brutal resistance to these efforts.
Given the escalating violence and lack of success in the seemingly endless battle against drug trafficking, we might take this old aphorism to heart: Regulation is law and order. Prohibition is a free-for-all.
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Comment posted by Moonrider on Sat, 03/21/2009 - 4:40pmI'm not sure I believe that statement:
"60% of the Drug Cartel profits come from the sale of cannabis" combined with “The US consumer is their #1 customer.”
I talk with people all over the US who use cannabis for medical, spiritual, and recreational reasons (here on this site and many other sites, as well as within the game of World of Warcraft), none of them is a consumer of imported cannabis. They all either buy their stash from local small growers or friends, or they grow a couple of plants, themselves, for their personal use.
So who the hell is buying all this imported weed? I think it is a complete and utter lie! I think the cartels are more involved in coke, meth, and heroin than cannabis. I think the government is just trying to justify, and keep up public support for, the war on cannabis by citing this bullshit statistic.
I'm pro-choice on EVERY THING!
What about the Schwag?
Comment posted by Anonymous on Sun, 03/22/2009 - 1:22pmI know your friends may smoke the good American shit. I support their consumption of US weed 100%. However, there is a large majority of people who either have no access to sensi or just can't afford it. So, they go for the dirty schwag imported by the Mexican cartels.
End prohibition and DO AWAY WITH SCHWAG:)
if it was just cops who were kidnapped and murdered
Comment posted by Anonymous on Wed, 03/25/2009 - 9:51pmno body would give a shit .good for the cartels .keep up the good work it just payback for all the crimes committed by police in their fucked up war against the people of the USA .we salute you paybacks a bitch you headless fucks
FUCK THAT DONT LEGALIZE WEED
Comment posted by Anonymous on Sat, 03/28/2009 - 3:15amITS PROVEN DANGEROUS IT WILL CAUSE YOU TO GET VIOLENT AND KILL
YOU. STAY SOBER AND SMOKE THA TOBACCO ITS ALOT SAFER MARIJUANA
IS VERY DANGEROUS AND IT WILL KILL YOU IF YOU SMOKE SKUNK AND SWHAG. SO ALL OF YOU WHO DISSAGREE FUCK YOU AND GO TO HELL CUZ MARIJUANA NEVER WILL BE LEGALIZED HA HA HA HA HA
Regulate cannabis once and for all!
Comment posted by Anonymous on Fri, 03/20/2009 - 1:30pmIt's time to decriminalize, legalize and standardize marijuana once and for all. Let's do to dope what we did to all forms of alcohol. We banned booze, wine and beer and all that that got us was Al Capone and company. The same thing is happening with marijuana, both in the USA and beyond.
Scott Tudehope