Mexican Drugs War - should the US intervene?

USA

Mexico

Australia believes the Mexican Government needs to avoid the corruption and crack down hard on the criminals and warlords.

Mexico is largely lawless with drug cartels controlling the streets. Not only is there a problem with immigration but problem with drugs and crime. New Zealand believes intervention to help strengthen the Mexican government's control over its country is the only real solution available.

While Mexico accepts responsibility for this issue, we would like to remind both Australia and New Zealand that they both have higher than average drug-use rates in the developed world. Thus, we would likewise encourage both of these to tighten drug laws if they wish to assist Mexico. As we have stated previously, only once the consumer's demand for drugs has gone can these crimes end.

Unfortunately, Mexico can only do what is allowed within international standards. Finding these criminals and imprisoning them will only spur more innocent people to take their place in this profitable industry and still continue to fill up our jails.

Unless the international community is willing to do their part, Mexico faces the dilemma of legalising drugs or enforcing capital punishment on its people.

Australia questions whether tightening drug laws is guaranteed to reduce demand.

Cutting down on demand is only one half of the problem. Mexico needs to take responsibility for allowing itself to become a hotbed for drug cartels. Mexico must introduce tougher measure to restrict importing or exporting drugs. On top of this all production site in Mexico must be destroyed. New Zealand is a recipient country whereas Mexico is a supplying country. The supply base needs to be destroyed.

Mexico acknowledges that there is no guarantee in stopping drugs altogether, but it will help both of our nations. Unless there are any other suggestions?

Decriminalizing drugs is a first step to reducing demand, because once you stop treating drug addiction as a crime and start treating it as a medical condition, you can actually help people curb their addictions, instead of locking them up. Secondly, once governments stop being stubborn, start regulating producers and tax it. Once you do this you take out the violence drugs bring and use that tax for rehabilitation for victims or improve public etc. You may say that it's bad to do this morally, just look at cigarettes, one of the most dangerous drugs, available at your nearest store.

My countries are not progressive enough to say this.

New Zealand disagrees with this insertion. Legalising drugs will make supply and sale easier causing people to be more open to experimenting with the easy to come by drugs. The addictive nature of drugs will prevent those people who choose to experiment from returning to a normal life. The demand for drugs will only be increased. Even if taxes were in place to take the price up, the inelastic nature of drugs means overall demand will be unchanged by the price increase.

So you think throwing repeat drug offenders in prison, with no help, is a better solution? Don't you think drug addicts are entitled to as much support as addicts for cigarettes, or alcohol? An estimated 208 Million people use illegal drugs, and that number is growing fast, the war on drugs is failing, and we need a new approach. Maybe decriminalising drugs, may draw experimenters but, with a good rehabilitation program, it'll assist many drug users to quit without fear of incarceration. Of course the next step of regulating production may bring its own set of problems, however, where there's demand there's always supply, that's why I believe we'll keep losing the war on drugs if we don't change strategy.

Following several talks, Mexico is considering legalising a variety of soft drugs and as suggested, plans to tax on it. Not only will this benefit our economy, it will also provide funds to help cover for any drug-related health issues which our nation has to deal with anyway. Citizens from other countries are welcome to visit and experience the 'La vida nueva', but we remind them they are still subject to their home nation's law upon their return. We await public and international comments however before we go through with this. If it is approved, we plan to test this first in one of our smaller, manageable states.

We are not considering harder drugs as of yet. (Small steps)

Confining drug addicts to prison can keep them away from drugs regardless of their will power while providing a place for rehabilitation to take place. Rehabilitation and prison are not mutually exclusive things, rehabilitation works better when the offender is in prison. Outside of prison the offender has more temptation to take drugs. In prison is impossible for the prisoner to take drugs even if his temptation gets the better of him.

What?!

Rehabilitation involves counseling sessions along with strong will power to not give in and take more drugs. People find it difficult enough to stop taking cigarettes when trying to quit smoking. With drugs being more addictive it will only be harder for people to stop taking drugs and attend counseling as part of their rehabilitation process. In prison, the diet and activities of a prisoner is controlled by the prison. There would be no need to rely on the addict's will power to kick the trend as no matter how much the addict wants drugs, the addict will be denied the drugs; counseling can also be made compulsory with the addict dragged to session by guards if needs be. At the moment addicts often do not turn up to rehabilitation sessions or allow their cravings to get the better of them when they are having a bad day. This cannot happen in a controlled prison meaning it is easier to rehabilitate people when they are in prison than it is when they are not in prison.