Fewer Murders in Mexico than US before Drug War Offensive

[Roverticus]

4. 1920s Era Prohibition

Raised crime by 500% throughout the US. That's crazy big! Drug prohibition has done the same, but we've allocated the violence south of the border so nobody can feel the difference at home. Nobody sees the blood on their cocaine until they put it in their nose.

We need to slowly diminish cartel profits through gradual and selective legalization, over the course of several decades. That way the cartels wont be shocked into switching more towards kidnapping and extortion to make up for lost profit. And the public will have time to stomach the transition.

Then we centralize drug production in highly secure areas. All cocaine would be produced in Bolivia, because this country is the only major coca producer free from significant cartel, rebel, and paramilitary control. Marijuana production would be decentralized throughout the states, but concentrated in Northern California. All synthetics would be produced in labs hidden somewhere in Wyoming. And heroin would be shipped in from Uzbekistan - still in Central Asia, but out of the hands of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

We get the FDA to strap regulations and grant limited licenses onto a select number of vendors. Then we decriminalize consumption of hard drugs, eliminating all punishment on use. Except if you get caught using you are mandated to seek clinical assistance, rather than jail time.

Badabing, badaboom...problem solved.