Legalized Marijuana in US States and the Cartels

Fox News posited this question: Will change in state pot lawschange how drug cartels do business?

Pot-supporting crowds cheered on election night as Colorado and Washington State voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Many expected Mexican drug cartels, who earn billions of dollars a year by smuggling marijuana into the United States, to be in a state of panic – but one expert said they will carry on just fine if pot is legalized.

“The cartel is going to likely adapt to that situation and move other types of drugs into those two particular states,” said Alex del Carmen, a professor of criminology at the University of Texas-Arlington.

Del Carmen said if marijuana laws in the United States change, the cartels will adjust and likely concentrate on harder drugs, including cocaine and methamphetamine.

“You look at what we’ve done on the border by adding more agents, by being able to improve our technological devices," he said. "And the cartel has always managed to get drugs to the U.S. in spite of our efforts.” (Fox News)

Though I am not the voice of Mexican Drug Cartels, I can answer the question better by reporting that President-elect Pena Nieto is pushing both houses of the Mexican Legislature to ratify a bill that makes it legal to use Marijuana 'recreationally'. So Mexico may beat the US to the punch. Let me also say that if the drug cartels were not fine with this, it would not pass into law. But I predict that it will do just that.

The domestic producers in California and the chronic growers in Canada will feel the economic pinch from legalized pot. There are regions of California that depend on the cash crop that Marijuana brings them (most are on welfare while they grow) who will have to survive ONLY on their welfare money from the State of California -- and it will devastate Mendocino County, Humboldt County, etc.

Consider this: Who owns most of the resorts in Mexico? And what do they grow? And what would be a the biggest incentive to get (drug fogged) Gringos to come to Mexico on vacation? Why WOULDN'T the drug cartels be in favor of legalization. It's good for business.