Drug War Economics

Thursday, 5th November 2009

It seems that Mexican drug cartels, vexed by inceased security at the American border, are sensibly moving production to be closer to their clients. Consequently, they're growing marijuana on Indian Reservations inside the United States. As the Wall Street Journal reports:

The math is tempting. Start-up expense for about dozen plots, with 10,000 plants each, is well under $500,000, U.S. officials estimate, including the cost of hiring 100 workers to plant marijuana and then several "tenders" to water them for three to four months until harvest. Incidental costs might include generators, PVC pipe and food supplies for the growers. Those plants could fetch about $120 million on the open market. With such impressive profit margins, a cartel can afford to have dozens of grows spotted and eradicated for every one that it harvests successfully.

Quite. Good luck winning the Drug War, guys.

Filed under: Drugs (86 more articles) , Mexico (11 more articles)

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ndm

November 5th, 2009 5:05pm Report this comment

The other favourite spot is inside any of the massive National Forests. This has been going on for decades which has led some to claim that marijuana is California's largest crop. It also comes with the prudent advice to hikers to immediately and quietly leave the area if they come across a marijauna "farm."

Sam ARMSTRONG

November 5th, 2009 7:00pm Report this comment

Execute the drug dealers.

Kittler

November 5th, 2009 7:09pm Report this comment

Agree Sam, especially those dealing Alcohol.

Noa Zrk

November 5th, 2009 8:55pm Report this comment

As Sam Armstrong says.

daniel maris

November 5th, 2009 10:00pm Report this comment

Sam Armstrong -

Why not execute the drug takers? It makes as much moral sense - as in no sense at all.

If we can't take responsibility for what we put in our bodies, what can we take responsibility for? This is not an area where the law should be seeking to control behaviour. How we move from criminalisation to decriminalisation to legality is however not a simple matter.

Ian Walker

November 5th, 2009 10:35pm Report this comment

...which only works if you execute a significant fraction of them.

If a drug dealer makes a hundred times more money than a non-drug dealer with the same life opportunities, then you have to kill over 99% of them for it to not be worth the risk.

Legalise it, tax it, and use the money to spend on treating the addicted, not criminalising them.

Kevyn Bodman

November 6th, 2009 2:29am Report this comment

Oppose, but do not execute,anyone who seeks to control what others put into their bodies.

Noa Zrk

November 6th, 2009 10:55pm Report this comment

The criminal element of drug dealing is the intent to profit from the addiction and death of users. The proceeds of such crime are used to fund major crime, terrorism and increase addiction. The social cost of crime is enormous. The alternatives are simple: to fight it or accept it.
I consider that the sale and use of drugs is criminal and should be treated as such; that includes the death penalty for those who are prepared to cause the widespread destruction of society, up to and including death, for profit.