Numbers Tell of Failure in Drug War

[Conor Dary]

When policy makers in Washington worry about Mexico these days, they think in terms of a handful of numbers: Mexico’s 19,500 hectares devoted to poppy cultivation for heroin; its 17,500 hectares growing cannabis; the 95 percent of American cocaine imports brought by Mexican cartels through Mexico and Central America.

They are thinking about the wrong numbers. If there is one number that embodies the seemingly intractable challenge imposed by the illegal drug trade on the relationship between the United States and Mexico, it is $177.26. That is the retail price, according to Drug Enforcement Administration data, of one gram of pure cocaine from your typical local pusher. That is 74 percent cheaper than it was 30 years ago.

This number contains pretty much all you need to evaluate the Mexican and American governments’ “war” to eradicate illegal drugs from the streets of the United States. They would do well to heed its message. What it says is that the struggle on which they have spent billions of dollars and lost tens of thousands of lives over the last four decades has failed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/04/busin ... nted=print

[Flumpy]

They might also want to consider the number 47,515.

That's the estimated amount of people that have been killed in drug related murders in Mexico since 2007

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-10681249

[TN1965]

"Hectares" of field and "gram" of cocaine? What's wrong with this reporter? Can't he use acres and ounce instead?
Here is another evidence that the New York Times is a socialist newspaper that is trying to make the United States like a European country.

[Conor Dary]

They might also want to consider the number 47,515.

That's the estimated amount of people that have been killed in drug related murders in Mexico since 2007

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-10681249

Read the article. That is why I posted the link...

[Conor Dary]

"Hectares" of field and "gram" of cocaine? What's wrong with this reporter? Can't he use acres and ounce instead?
Here is another evidence that the New York Times is a socialist newspaper that is trying to make the United States like a European country.

An ounce of coke is like... a lot....

[bman]

This isn't even controversial anymore. I really don't think anyone will come in and say lets get tough on drugs.