> There is plenty of pressure in Mexico to decriminalize/legalize drugs as a result of cartel violence. First, what Mexico wants has (unfortunately) very littl

> There is plenty of pressure in Mexico to decriminalize/legalize drugs as a result of cartel violence. First, what Mexico wants has (unfortunately) very little connection to what the US will actually do, and it's the US's drug policy that matters here. Second, this is like saying that the arrests and drug-related violence in the US creates pressure for legalization. It may in a way, because it raises the stakes, but that's not necessary to create pressure for change. And it's a rather horrible way to do so, because it involves putting people's lives at (even more) risk in the meantime. On top of that, it also further empowers the people who profit off of the status quo, providing them with even more money (and therefore power and influence) to maintain the status quo. For comparison, it's a good thing that police violence has gotten attention recently, which may ultimately lead to substantial reform. But that's not to say that facilitating (and profiting off of!) police violence in the US is a noble act. We can argue about whether the connection is nonexistent or simply 'very weak', but my point remains that it's hard to defend a profit-hungry bank funneling money into the hands of violent murders so they can profit off of more murders, all on the grounds that it will eventually translate into fewer murders later on. Especially when there are much more compelling ways of addressing the issue directly and immediately.