The drug contaminates the basics of daily life, health, money laundering, crime, violence, massive corruption, untold opportunity costs, social impairment, in short, a whole hell of negative situations.

However, the more there is still a war on drugs, the more it seems that is a losing battle. The aggregate demand for drug products, from marijuana to heroin, mercilessly persists despite all efforts to contain the offer. This, consequently, has resulted in sophisticated new ways to produce, distribute and trade products. Like it or not, is a big business with high profit.

Like it or not, in fact, indicia experience that we must learn to live with the phenomenon. The drug trade restrictions have led to greater benefits to producers, that society be protected. The demand for the products persists despite the punishments have to pay.

For the bidder, the ban on drug supply can be a disincentive, but also an incentive. Considering the limited competition to criminalize the production, increase profit margins exponentially. Interestingly, by prohibiting these activities, the law becomes a barrier to enter the market, limiting supply, and provides a virtual monopoly suppliers now they risk everything on.

It's very unfortunate, but real. There are people who derive pleasure disincentives that go beyond consumer criminals, while there are other people who, before the punishment required by law, pass it through the triumphal arch in order to generate large fortunes. We are dealing with an eminently economic incentives.

However, given the current failure, given the fact that we still have to live with drugs, violent criminality, we should begin to raise questions uncomfortable.

Would not it be more profitable to invest the resources currently spent on combating supply, to educate the people of the damage that addiction to drugs? If on the other hand, we can legally sell drugs, would not it have less incentive to exercise the violence that accompanies the current business?

It is possible to increase the number of addicts in an open market and narco-legal. But it is expected that by doing so, reduce the violent element that today accompanies the ban.

At the end of the day, are just questions, and possibly irrelevant. The great problem of consumption is north of our border, where the profit lies the seed of the problem.

Article AsuntosCapitales Posted by Roberto Salinas Leon elcato.org
Roberto Salinas Leon is professor and senior fellow Mexican consultant and the Cato Institute.