Drug Abuse in the USA and Modernization of Cartels - Essay Example

Drug Abuse in USA Drug abuse is the use of natural or artificial compounds for consumption in a manner they were notintended for. Drug abuse and trafficking is a major business worldwide with revenues believed to be over 400 billion. In the United States, although the war on drug abuse has been fought for a long time, there is still a lot of use with Mexico being the main entry point. Due to several reasons including sophistication of the trade, insecure neighboring countries and poor response policies the USA, drug prevalence rate is still very high. However, with proper outlook and penalties, the drug cartels can be eradicated and the prevalence rate reduced. Causes of the Problem Modernization of cartels Cartels have modernized and no longer operate using the old-fashioned methods of organization and weaponry. These cartels will buy their weapons at gun shows in America and transport them in small quantities to other parts of the world so that they are not detected. These weapons include surface to air missiles as well as armored personnel carriers and communication devices (Perrin 109). The traffickers can put up huge investments such as highly designed tunnels to ensure that they are transported back and forth without any police interference. The crime families also no longer operate individually, but they have joined to form international crime networks that allow for easier shipment of drugs between countries. These collaborations include the American mafia, collaborating with the Colombian cartel and several Mexican cartels in order to have easier transitions through borders. The Russian constellation of mafias is believed to be in sixty-five countries and the Castello family in Italy has political ties with several leaders in their country. Such collaborations have made it difficult for a single government agency to be able to prevent the entry of drugs into the country (Arquilla and Ronfeldt 109-111). Insecure Neighbors For the past few years, Mexico has been waging a war on drugs. On one side are the government forces on the other the Mexican cartels who want to continue the business due to its high profits. Mexican smugglers are believed to make 30 billion dollars annually from the movement of drugs into USA and this operation has profited them to the point that they can successfully resist government forces for over 6 years. This war aptly named El Narco has caused many Mexicans to migrate annually from their country to USA. Every year approximately 500000 Mexicans move into the country with over 80% using illegal methods (David 11). These immigrants provide the cartels with many possible routes for entry into the country as well giving the cartels in USA many potential recruits to use as traffickers in the Border States and to spread as they move. The USA cannot simply close off its borders due to its long-standing trade with Mexico. Mexico is USA’s third largest trading partner and provides it with oil a vital ingredient for its industries. Until the Mexican forces win El Narco, the USA will experience a drug influx from its southern border. Poor Policy The USA policy on drug use has been severely criticized due to its ineffectiveness in reducing the narcotics prevalence rate but increasing the number of people incarcerated. The law has been criticized as being vengeful and targeting minorities and the poor (Kain). Majority of the people arrested for drug related offences are disproportionately black even in states where they are an insignificant minority. Due to the high incarceration rate and the policy not being geared towards catching the overseers of these operations, many first time offenders will leave the prisons to go back into the habit. Until the government reviews its policy on punishment and rehabilitation, a large number of poor and minority groups will continue to operate in the drug business. Solutions Policy Change The United States needs its review its strategy on the war on drugs and look into reducing the demand instead of fighting the supplier. The reason for the continuous infiltration of drugs into the US economy from developing countries is the high demand for them that is making the cartels receive very high profits. These drugs are not being directed into the USA out of malice by the cartels but simply due to their demand. Sweden can be used as a case study on how to effectively combat drugs, while drug abuse rates have been going up in the rest of Europe, Sweden is facing a lower prevalence rate than it did thirty years ago (Costa 9) . The Swedish government by the use of strict surveillance methods and cooperation between their police services and customs operation was able to uncover the large-scale racketeers of the drugs. The Swedish government also had their laws changed to have stricter penalties for large scale trafficking as well as implement effective treatment methods for the addicts. The USA must implement policies that reflect a more practical approach to the drug problem instead of attempting to dispense to instant justice that to those on trial appears as it comes across as vigilante justice and only makes the perpetrators avoid rehabilitation. Thus, by focusing on educating youth on the dangers of abusing drugs and not the dangers of being caught abusing drugs the government might have better results in its anti-narcotics campaign. The government must finally ensure that prescription drugs are given to those who actually need them and not those who simply want. The FDA does have the mandate to ensure that all food and drugs use proper channels and so can supervise this. Get involved in Mexico The Mexico government has been at war with the cartels for over six years now with little success (Beckhusen). Mexico like its counterparts USA is reviewing its policy on narcotics however it has been facing a lot of fire from cartels who are well armed (Perrin 109). In 2012 in polls, many Mexicans had been supportive of the idea of the US providing troops and were disappointed in that their incumbent president had been moderate in the application of force. The USA war on drugs will not be effective until the government wins El Narco. The USA has the best equipped army in the world and their direct involvement in the war would make a significant shift in favor of the Mexican government towards winning the war. Mexican law enforcement also needs to work hand in hand with American law enforcement to prevent cartels escaping justice by use of legal loopholes. The current government policies in place resulted in a distancing between Mexico and USA law enforcement in 2002 but if results are to be achieved one country will have to make the first step in mending the partnership. Therefore, the government must ensure that local law enforcement is given modern weapons to be able to tackle the challenge sophisticated cartels pose. The government needs to have better surveillance networks as well as have legislation that ensures banks are accountable for the transactions that go on with their accounts. Online money transfer methods have risen in popularity among criminals due to their anonymity; however, the government must find a way to get banks that offer these services to scrutinize large sums of money to avoid laundering. It was assumed that by the year 2000 the war on drugs would be won, however cartels modernized and the policies put in place were not effective. By addressing policy issues, working together with Mexico and other international partners as well as educating the population of the dangers of getting involved in drugs, the war can be won. Drug abuse is a menace to society and its prevalence cannot be ignored. Works Cited Perrin, Benjamin. Modern Warfare: Armed Groups, Private Militaries, Humanitarian Organizations and the law. Vancouver: UBC press. 2012.Print. David, Steven R. Catastrophic Consequences: Civil Wars and American Interests. Maryland: John Hopkins. 2008.Print Kain, Erik. “The War on Drugs is a War on Minorities and the Poor”. Forbes magazine. 28 June 2011. Web. 9 July 2013.< http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/06/28/the-war-on-drugs-is-a-war-on-minorities-and-the-poor/> Arquilla, John and David, Ronfeldt. Networks and Netwars: The Future of Terror, Crime, and Militancy. Pittsburgh: Rand. 2001.Print. Costa, Maria. Sweden successful drug policy a review of the evidence. United Nations office of drugs and crime. 2007. Beckhusen, Robert. Majority of Mexicans want more U.S. help in drug war. Wired magazine. 15 May 2012. Web. 9 July 2013. < http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/05/mexico-poll/> Read More