4 ms·

Half of Mexican children suffer from lead poisoning. http://latinalista.com/columns/globalviews/nearly-half-mexicos-children-suffer-lead-poisoning http://latin

Half of Mexican children suffer from lead poisoning. http://latinalista.com/columns/globalviews/nearly-half-mexicos-children-suffer-lead-poisoning http://latinalista.com/columns/globalviews/nearly-half-mexic...

galaxyLogic 8y ago
And we know there is a lot of violent crime in Mexico
- ekianjo 8y ago
  Violent crime is Mexico is rather a consequence of cartel activity. Which has nothing to do with lead.
  - nyolfen 8y ago
    why is it so easy for you to rule that out? there are cartels in other countries, but mexico's are exceptionally, brutally violent
    - shawn 8y ago
      Suppose lead were to disappear from the earth tomorrow. It seems unlikely that it would have any effect on the Mexican cartel ecosystem. The ecosystem is driven by demand from the US, and Mexico has the supply. The brutality is a consequence of a power struggle to control those resources.
      - smallnamespace 8y ago
        > It seems unlikely that it would have any effect on the Mexican cartel ecosystem. How can you on the one hand so easily dismiss the evidence that lead causes violence, which is backed up by rigorous statistical analysis and medical evidence, and on the other hand assert so surely that you know the answer? If you were consistent, surely you'd apply skepticism to your own explanations as well.
        shawn 8y ago
        The fact that lead causes violence isn't in question. Violence is caused by multiple factors. One additional factor is the billions of dollars to be made preparing and running drugs from Mexico to the US. My assertion is that if lead were removed as a factor, this would not negate the other cause.
        int_19h 8y ago
        But is all that violence actually necessary for cartels to profit? Some of it probably is, but all? There are many organized crime syndicates around the world, and they usually are involved in drug trade - but rarely you do see such open and extreme violence as in Mexico, including mass targeting of civilians (which is usually considered bad for business everywhere).
    - ekianjo 8y ago
      The war on drugs perpetrated by US forces is brutally violent as well, with cops armed like SWAT forces and forgoing the castle doctrine. This is all a consequence of useless escalation.
  - ruszki 8y ago
    Or cartel activity has been developed to this level in Mexico, because people are more prone to make such activities there. Which can be caused by lead exposure. So "nothing to do with lead" isn't a strong hypothesis.
    - ekianjo 8y ago
      No, because people are poor and dealing drugs illegally is a big money maker. There is no need to involve lead to explain typical supply and demand mechanisms.

galaxyLogic 8y ago

And we know there is a lot of violent crime in Mexico

ekianjo 8y ago
Violent crime is Mexico is rather a consequence of cartel activity. Which has nothing to do with lead.
- nyolfen 8y ago
  why is it so easy for you to rule that out? there are cartels in other countries, but mexico's are exceptionally, brutally violent
  - shawn 8y ago
    Suppose lead were to disappear from the earth tomorrow. It seems unlikely that it would have any effect on the Mexican cartel ecosystem. The ecosystem is driven by demand from the US, and Mexico has the supply. The brutality is a consequence of a power struggle to control those resources.
    - smallnamespace 8y ago
      > It seems unlikely that it would have any effect on the Mexican cartel ecosystem. How can you on the one hand so easily dismiss the evidence that lead causes violence, which is backed up by rigorous statistical analysis and medical evidence, and on the other hand assert so surely that you know the answer? If you were consistent, surely you'd apply skepticism to your own explanations as well.
      - shawn 8y ago
        The fact that lead causes violence isn't in question. Violence is caused by multiple factors. One additional factor is the billions of dollars to be made preparing and running drugs from Mexico to the US. My assertion is that if lead were removed as a factor, this would not negate the other cause.
        int_19h 8y ago
        But is all that violence actually necessary for cartels to profit? Some of it probably is, but all? There are many organized crime syndicates around the world, and they usually are involved in drug trade - but rarely you do see such open and extreme violence as in Mexico, including mass targeting of civilians (which is usually considered bad for business everywhere).
  - ekianjo 8y ago
    The war on drugs perpetrated by US forces is brutally violent as well, with cops armed like SWAT forces and forgoing the castle doctrine. This is all a consequence of useless escalation.
- ruszki 8y ago
  Or cartel activity has been developed to this level in Mexico, because people are more prone to make such activities there. Which can be caused by lead exposure. So "nothing to do with lead" isn't a strong hypothesis.
  - ekianjo 8y ago
    No, because people are poor and dealing drugs illegally is a big money maker. There is no need to involve lead to explain typical supply and demand mechanisms.