Mexican cartels are fifth-largest employers in the country, study finds

I&#x27;m not even sure how Mexico manages to dig itself out. The only way to root out the cartels seems to just hope that the US figures out how to manage its drug market.<p>It&#x27;s a pity - Mexico is so rich in culture but is just absolutely crushed by the US&#x27;s demand for drugs.

Lol. And in an interesting symmetry, prisons are the largest employers in many areas of the United States. The prison industry, or &quot;corrections&quot; more broadly, probably breaks the top five in <i>most</i> US states.

&gt; The authors argue that the best way to reduce the bloodshed would be to cut cartel recruitment<p>Okay, but how? The whole article goes on about reducing recruitment, and how incarceration isn’t the answer, but never specified how do you reduce recruitment?

Though it’s not like this is just one cartel. It’s all cartels combined. It’s like if you added up all crime or all drug dealers in the US and said that was a single employer.

I surprised there&#x27;s never mention of reducing the flow of arms illegally exported from the US. From a practical perspective I think this is low-hanging fruit.

I don&#x27;t think the US has a strong motivation to fight against this particular status quo. Politicians are aware that Americans like drugs, and they&#x27;re probably very hesitant to put themselves directly between supply and demand.<p>Furthermore, I imagine a line of reasoning exists somewhere that a weak neighbor is a neighbor who can be manipulated. If we need tactical placements in that neighbors back yard, chances are that they can be exclusively acquired through threat of force and bribery (Edit: that is to say, they can be bullied, and the US is the closest and most effective bully around when you&#x27;re Mexico. Keep in mind they&#x27;re not just being bullied with threats, but also with promises of a more cooperative and economically entwined future).<p>Realistically, I think pretty much all Americans want to see Mexico succeed. Mexican culture is appreciated and related to here. Sadly, things being the way they are it seems difficult to be the one to actually get in the way of any of the obstacles holding Mexico back.

Interested to know if cartel activity decreased since some US states legalised marijuana. And how much it could potentially fall if all other US states followed suit.<p>If marijuana and cocaine were made legal and taxed in the US, would these cartels still exist?

Employer is an ironically sinister way of putting. Given their infamy with brutality, I can&#x27;t imagine how the &quot;employees&quot; are treated.