When it comes to the war against drugs, it is being fought in two separate countries, The United States and Mexico. While most of the drugs are produced in Mexico and imported illegally into the United States, it is the actions of the United States which have led to the expansion of the drug war in both the United States and Mexico. Originally, gangs organized themselves in Los Angeles and then subsequently spread to other countries due to deportations (Wolf, 2016). However, it is also the policies of the United States, and their pressure on the Mexican government which has caused the escalation of the drug war.
The drug war has been ongoing for many decades. However, it officially began in Mexico in 2006, when the current president announced policies to reduce the cartels and their exportation of drugs into the United States. This occurred partially because of pressure from the United States, who wanted to ensure that the main supplier of drugs was shut down. However, while the drugs do come from Mexico, it is policies within the United States which lead to the continuation of the drug problem. In the United States, there is a major lack of treatment programs for addicts. As such, once addicted it is very unlikely that addicts will receive any treatment to help them recover. Instead of spending money on education and treatment options, the United States has instead focused its efforts on criminalizing drug use.
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"War Against Cartels".
The modern war on drugs began in 1971 when President Nixon declared war on drugs. He stated that as long as there were drugs users than there would be drugs on the street. However, while he initially allocated funds for treatment, more funding was pumped into fighting the production of drugs in Mexico. As such today, the majority of states do not have adequate rehabilitation programs for at risk individuals (Pullen & Oser, 2014). Furthermore the pushing of prescription opioid medication by drug companies has also contributed to the problem. Once addicted, addicts often end up switching to harder drugs due to lack of access to prescription or black market opioids(Atkinson, Schatman, & Fudin, 2014). Therefore the demand for drugs is still present so Mexican cartels will continue supplying drugs to the United States.
While it is important for Mexico to crack down on the cartels, it is also equally important that the United States revise its policies to help people recover from addictions. Because of the cost of the drug problem it is the United States which has the most to lose. Therefore ultimately it is the responsibility of the United States to combat this issue. Even if Mexico is able to completely eliminate all the drug cartels it is likely that drugs would come into the United States. As long as there are addicts there will continue to be someone supplying drugs. As such it is the responsibility of the United States to help eliminate addicts. While enforcement is important, more funding should be diverted into treatment programs. Previous research has shown that drug treatment options are an effective way to reduce crime and fight the war against drugs. Individuals who receive treatment are less likely to remain addicts and therefore are less likely to end up in prison due to drug related offenses (Prendergast, Podus, Chang, & Urada, 2002).
Overall the drug problem is a complex one. While drugs are supplied from Mexico, it is citizens in the United States which have created the demand for these drugs. Therefore, while it is important for Mexico to continue to try to fight the cartels it is even more important for the United States to focus on treating addicts. By establishing more treatment programs this will remove the customer base and will be a more effective way of fighting the existing drug problem.
- Atkinson, T. J., Schatman, M. E., & Fudin, J. (2014). The damage done by the war on opioids: the pendulum has swung too far. J Pain Res, 7, 265-268.
- Prendergast, M. L., Podus, D., Chang, E., & Urada, D. (2002). The effectiveness of drug abuse treatment: A meta-analysis of comparison group studies. Drug and alcohol dependence, 67(1), 53-72.
- Pullen, E., & Oser, C. (2014). Barriers to substance abuse treatment in rural and urban communities: Counselor perspectives. Substance use & misuse, 49(7), 891-901.
- Wolf, S. (2016). Drugs, Violence, and Corruption: Perspectives from Mexico and Central America. Latin American Politics and Society, 58(1), 146-155.
