drugtrafficking

**  (Drug Trafficking in Mexico ) **
** The illegal drug market in the United States is one of the MOST profitable in the world. **

[|Heroin addict]

An issue affecting a number of countries on a global scale is drug trafficking. Defined, drug trafficking is the buying and selling of illegal drugs.(“Dictionary.com”) Several well-known countries involved in this trade are Columbia, Afghanistan, Mexico and Brazil; supplying their goods to over 200 million users worldwide. Drug trafficking is the largest illegal business in the world, and accounts for 8 percent of international trade. (Anitei) media type="custom" key="5423546" [|Violence and Drug Trafficking in Mexico]

**PROOF** Drug trafficking is an always growing problem in today’s society. There are more people that are buying, selling, and using drugs. People use this as an easy way to get money but there are tons of risks involved. Drugs are fast spreading through the high school systems. These are just a few examples of proof that drug trafficking does exist today. The most common way drug trafficking is referred to as, is pushing drugs. Drug dealing always has someone that organizes and controls the drug deal. This person is referred to as the “high person” or “the pusher’. This person is usually the one that makes the most money. [|Using Drugs]

Drug trafficking is extremely serious and a risky thing to get involved with. Drugs are responsible for gangs and gang violence. Most of the problems in our society are related with money. Corruption, drugs, scams, human trafficking  all have to do with greed. You see so many people get sucked into drug trafficking because it is very hard to get out once you have all those people calling you and constantly asking for drugs. A place where drug trafficking is heavily present is Mexico. In 2008, there were more than 6,200 drug-related murders. That is more than double the number from previous years. Now the authorities have made a couple high-profile arrest of cartels and have obtain large amounts of illegal drugs, weapons and money. But unfortunately violence still remains high and authorities know that completely wiping out this multibillion dollar a year industry will not happen. The main focus now is to turn this into something the national security can handle.

**CAUSES AND EFFECTS ** Drug Trafficking is the perfect example of a business started when necessity, desire, and accessibility met opportunity. With 18.2% of Mexico’s population below the poverty line, many people take advantage of the opportunities given to improve their economies ("World Factbook"). With the large area of suitable farmland, and willing drug lord allies in other close countries such as Columbia, Mexico can effortlessly supply themselves with the goods needed to offer their business. A 2,000 mile long border between Mexico and the U.S adds to the simplicity of the transportation of the drugs (National Geographic Channel). Other Mexicans want a part in this easy economic boost, basically becoming their own recruiters into the drug trafficking trade. These self-recruits are then used to produce and distribute the drugs.

Unfortunately, Drug Trafficking involves many other global crimes, as well, such as, weapons trafficking, and human trafficking. "Over 6,290 deaths attributed to the drug wars in 2008, and over 1,000 deaths attributed to drug wars in first two months of 2009" (FOX News Network, LLC). Many of the illegal immigrants that successfully cross the border, cross with drugs and guns attached to them." There are some six major Mexican drug cartels that control the majority of illicit drug trafficking: the Sinaloa Cartel, the Tijuana Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, the Beltran Leyva Cartel, Los Zetas and La Familia" (National Geographic Channel). [|In relation to other global crimes]

The Head of these Drug Cartels have made a sort of alliance with each other's to protect themselves and their money. It is said that one of the Cartels has put a price on the heads of the others family so they can take over the business. Recently, there was a death of a notorious Mexican drug cartel leader, the Mexican government believes will spur a war between all of the drug cartels. This winner of this war will win the vast area that the deceased drug cartel leader previously controlled.

Mexican citizens and American citizens are offered a reward for turning in someone related in the cartels. Although these monetary awards seem tempting, many of these people don't dare to touch them because they believe they might disappear forever. The Mexican Government and United States Government offer a reward of $2 million per head of the 24 leaders and known members. All of these leaders and members have members of the police as their personal bodyguards. These corruptive police usually high ranked and are usually the first to know about any surprise raids on the cartels, therefore they alert the cartel.

For example, In Reynosa, Mexico, a border town, lives a cartel member that rides with his own police escorts. Most citizens in Reynosa know his job but don't turn him in because they could be killed if he just made a call. This has already happened to various ex officio in Mexico; this creates fear in the citizens that live there. They could always tell who is associated with the drug business because of the types of cars, houses, and clothes they own, therefore many of the people stay a distance away from the cartel members to avoid any type of conflicts.

It's believed that the Mexican government receives money from the Gulf Cartel every year for road repairs, orphanages and other various things. Therefore, this is why many people don't give information about some of the cartels, because some of them are actually helping the community with dirty money.

The drug cartels are getting money to supply themselves with guns and women. The drug cartels are in business because of the law of supply and demand. The United States is one of the biggest users of drugs. The demand for drugs produces an immense black market that involves production, trafficking, distribution, and consumption. Demand for drugs affects every level of society. In doing so, it affects both legitimate and illegitimate sources. These sources can be schoolchildren, blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, religious people, and politicians. The addiction caused by drugs enslaves the user to commit acts, which they would normally never conceive of doing.

Although most countries have some type of known drug issues, Mexico and the United States top the list most frequently. Mexico continues to illegally disperse their marijuana and other drug cash crops into the U.S. Approximately 65 percent of the cocaine smuggled into the United States crosses the Mexican border. (“Drug”) These transported drugs take a toll on society.

A large percentage of Americans are indirectly affected by virtue of the fact that their taxes are increasing due to public service needs. Some of these services are police forces, detention centers, and hospitals. Some of our taxes are used as medical treatment payments for overdosed citizens who were not able to pay for it themselves. (Anitei) Another service these tax dollars disperse to are rehabilitation centers such as the Betty Ford Institute located in Rancho Mirage California, the Sierra Tucson rehabilitation center in Tucson Arizona, or the Mark Houston recovery center in Manor Texas. [|You Are a Victim of the Drug War]

Another major problem is the increase of crime rates. The U.S Justice department says “Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations represent the greatest organized crime threat to the United States.” ("Mexico's drug war shifts north of border") Robbery and violence are connected with drug consumption as well. For people to get the money needed to pay for their fix, they often rob stores and commit violent acts such as killings and beatings. Rival gangs fight and kill one another to keep control of their drug distribution and amount consumed. In many major U.S cities, drugs are the main cause involved in homicides. (Anitei) Drug consumers also turn to prostitution to ensure they have the amount of money needed for their fix. All 3 of these acts (robbery, homicide, prostitution) are all illegal in the United States. All 3 of these crimes can be connected in many cases to the illegal drug trade.

The overflow of detention centers and prisons in the United States is another issue associated with drug trafficking. The United States police annually arrests about 1 million people connected to the drug trade. (Anitei) As this type of trafficking spreads, the population of the business grows. For example, a 26 year old male convicted of drug trafficking in late 2007 was sentenced to 15 years in Worcester Massachusetts’s state prison. William Hampton was convicted of trafficking more than 200 grams of Cocaine, along with his defendant Antonio Thomas whom was convicted of trafficking between 28 and 100 grams of Cocaine. They filled slots in the Massachusetts state jail, and the cocaine sold by them, went to drug consumers and lead to the destruction of their bodies; an indirect effect of drug trafficking (Murray).

Methamphetamines, also known as speed, meth, crank, and ice, are stimulant drugs that can lead to paranoia, psychosis, hypothermia, hallucinations, stroke, heart and blood vessel toxicity, and formication among other physical effects. Cocaine is another stimulant, which produces the same effects as methamphetamines, along with: increased blood pressure and heart rate, seizures, heart attack, and fever, and is one of the most addictive drugs. Crack is a cheaper and more diluted form of cocaine, and is just as addicting. Heroin, also known as smack, dope, and black tar, is an opiate that leads to: dry itching skin, skin infections, and respiratory failure. All aforementioned drugs, commonly injected, lead to an increased risk of HIV and hepatitis. ("Specific drugs and their effects") “About 22 % of the HIV positives in the western world are drug consumers injecting drugs with infected needles.” 3-4 Marijuana cigarettes, also known as blunts, are more harmful for the respiratory system than 20 tobacco cigarettes. (Anitei) It is a commonly smoked drug and causes impaired learning, comprehension, memory, perception, concentration, coordination, and judgment. It is also known to alter sense of time, increase paranoia, and induce anxiety attacks. All of these drugs among most others lead to death, of which is the most severe effect. ("Specific drugs and their effects")

 FUTURE IF WE DON'T CHANGE IT **
 * 

The Head of these Drug Cartels have made a sort of alliance with each other's to protect themselves and their money. It is said that one of the Cartels has put a price on the heads of the others family so they can take over the business. Recently, there was a death of a notorious Mexican drug cartel leader, the Mexican government believes will spur a war between all of the drug cartels. This winner of this war will win the vast area that the deceased drug cartel leader previously controlled. [|Dealers]

Seventy three percent of the children beaten to death in New York had drug addicted parents. (Anitei) In 2006, an estimated 14,000 people died drug-related deaths in Mexico. 9 out of 10 total deaths in Mexico can be traced to drug-related roots. The popular trade of contraband between Mexico and the U.S lead to 39,000 American deaths in 2006 (“Harm”). As demonstrated, the illegal drug trade is a major problem affecting a number of people both directly and indirectly. This issue needs to be addressed and solved.

SOLUTIONS **
 * 

Mexican President Felipe Calderon has deployed 45,000 troops to 14 states in Mexico (The Los Angeles Times) in hopes that it would be a solution to detain drug cartels. A solution that could possibly end drug trafficking between the cartels would be to make drugs legal and to administrate high taxation on these drugs. "These illicit drugs are estimated to be worth $400 billion a year or 8% of all international trade" (The Gale Group, Inc.). This money could boost the economy but it could also backfire. The backfire would be that the drug cartels would lower the price of the drugs. [|US Department of Justice]

People are consumed by greed so they become loyal subjects for the cartels, thinking they can make money easily and at a faster rate than others do. Corruption is one of the main problems in Drug Trafficking, therefore to present in impact in stopping the Cartels from distributing, we would have to get rid of the corruption. Corruption will always be around because people see drug trafficking as an easy way to make money.

In conclusion, Mexico is just one of the many countries that suffers from drug trafficking. Drug trafficking is a major problem that could affect all economies terribly. The border patrol can't stop every single drug trafficker since they have to cover "2,000 miles of the border between the U.S. and Mexico, they are also in charge of 5,000 miles of the Canadian border" (National Geographic Channel). Corruption will always be around for years to come as people see it as an easy way to make a hefty amount of money, quicker than they did before.


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