Bad habits

The brutal assassination of the US government workers Lesley Enriquez and Arthur Redelfs, carried out by gangsters linked to the Juarez drugs cartel last week, is reported to have been a retaliatory exercise following the recent extradition of several Mexican drugs lords to the States. It was another reminder that the US-led ‘war on drugs’ is lost. It is unwinnable, and merely serves to illustrate the folly of pursuing agendas for the sake of soundbites.

Both America and Britain must accept that the international narcotics supply chain cannot be broken. Governments may not like it, but they must instead look to the users on their own streets. Wherever there is hopelessness, unemployment and poverty, demand will be highest. It follows that by addressing what is broken in society, consumption can be reduced.

There are signs that the Obama administration understands this — the decision to remove the federal funding ban on needle exchanges is a good first step. But two thirds of the US drug control budget will be spent on tackling supply rather than demand this year. Meanwhile, Mexico is becoming a narco-state. To beat drugs lords like Juarez, the US must direct its focus, not on its southern neighbour, but within its own borders.