What a great idea. Let's implement ideas from a failed president of a country that is failing their own citizens. I have an idea, Mr. Fox, go back to Mexico and shut down the drug cartels.

Phillip, it's a business which like all others is based on supply and demand. Although in this one it is a twisted wreck because of spotty and corrupt and far too often outright corruption at every level including the Banks and Governments themselves.

Prohibition does NOT work. This simple truth has been proven true in every arena of human activity that others would try to align with their own more narrow life views.
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Legalize the natural state agricultural products even if DuPont and Hearst would prefer to not have to compete with their industrial and commercial uses (among other spurious reasons they were made illegal to begin with).

Re-medicalize the pharmaceutical products and by that simple measure return their distribution and control to Physicians and Pharmacists. Treat the worst cases as the social welfare problems they actually are rather than through the simplistic, costly and wasteful criminal process.

it's time for society to grow up.

Let me see if I got this right? The current President of Mexico wants the US to ban the private ownership of firearms and the past President wants the US to legalize drugs. No wonder they are all heading north. How messed up can a country get?

Great idea Phil. While he's at it, perhaps he can shut down the cartels north of the border as well. Can't believe the stupidity I'm reading.

With Prohibition, once the ban on alcohol was repealed, the criminal and violent individuals and organizations that built up around it also disappeared. We have to look at cost and benefit with banning drugs too. MrRational says it well. With legalization, yes, you are still going to have problems but not anything like the horrific state of affairs in Mexico.

While I agree with Fox, I definitely don't see it happening to that extent, and definitely not anytime soon.

If we aren't even willing to stop this useless, expensive war on drugs due to the problems it creates in our own country, why would we be willing to do it for someone else's?

John asks: why would we be willing to do it for someone else's?

Because John, everything is inter-connected. Everything.

In this specific example the connection includes a common border with a daily transfer of capital and arms and contraband and people and all doe with compounding economic factors like employment and regular economic opportunities which get thwarted or worse by the distorting effect of the corruption.

How does that answer suit you?

But in other examples (like oh, lets say Afghanistan?) the connection ties in with influences on our foreign policy choices and options and the actual full on military interventions we are suffering through.

I could go on.

But let me leave this small lesson with a more pop cultural reference that may illustrate the simple truths involved. As you'll hear voiced by the under appreciated good guy in every crime movie or novel:

Follow the money!