Bharde 1

Mairah Bharde
Mr.Phillips
English 3
9 May 2016
The Effects of Banning Marijuana in Mexico
For years there has been an ongoing drug war in Mexico which is particularly
due because of the banning of marijuana. This is causing numerous amounts of
negative events and violence. Because of Mexicos ban on marijuana there are
unsettled conflicts between the government and citizens. New drug cartels are
forming and finding smuggling routes to sneak marijuana through. The main focus
of conflicts could be resolved by legalizing marijuana to an extent because too
many innocent lives are lost. The banning of marijuana in Mexico seriously impacts
the mortality rate of citizens by a significant increase in deaths.
First of all, there are too many citizens being murdered and non-intentionally
killed. Drug organized cartels are killing citizens and authority figures. In her
articles, Elizabeth Manar discusses deeply about this problem when she says, The
cartels have fought directly with the government and police forces on several
occasions, resulting in hundreds of losses on both sides. Cartel agents have also
launched grenade attacks upon public areas, have gunned down civilians to
intimidate local populations, killed journalists, and have used beheadings of other
cartel members and other citizens to terrorize. And Fierce rivalries over territory
and influence led to countless deaths among cartel and gang members, as well as
innocents, in Mexico and the United States during the 1990s, a situation that
continued into the 21st century. As important figures such as police chiefs and
citizens try to resolve this issue by exposing and arresting these cartels and its

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members, although it ends in violent bloodshed, which increases Mexicos main
issue. Influential figure, president Calderon tried to send tens of thousands military
and federal workers to battle the cartels, but by doing so, the spilling of blood
drastically increased (Elizabeth Manar). Effects of the ban on marijuana has left
more than 60,000 dead. This has become so brutal up to extreme levels which only
creates blood baths, so the military and government try to suppress them but this
only worsens the case. Mexicos citizens have seen violence skyrocket due to cartel
activity that made thousands of citizens want to flee the country because there
have been more than 3,000 homicides, beheaded bodies, and surprise public
shootouts. The most violent city outside of war zones is Ciudad Juarez and has seen
extreme violence against its citizens which is located on the border between Mexico
and Texas but there have been 2,000 murders in the following year, increased to
3,000. These border violences are mostly because America has such a high
demand for marijuana and since Mexico bans it, the drug cartels are discovering
new routes to smuggle it, but only leading to shootouts on the border, especially the
narcos since they have significantly bigger guns than the Mexican Army (Friedman).
One of the most well-known leader of the Los Zetas drug cartel is The Executioner
also known as Heriberto Lazcano, and he is responsible for mass murders, as he was
killed, these deaths of high ranking cartel leaders have been proven as helpful on
shutting down the expansion of the smuggling network in Eastern Mexico (Manar).
There have been pervasive human rights violations committed by the military and
police forces across Mexico. Complaints of torture and ill treatment by federal and
military officers, says Anna J Cabot.
Secondly, the banning of marijuana causes rising tensions between citizens
and Mexicos government. Since marijuana is banned, Mexicos cartels have to find

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a way to import and export marijuana, therefor they smuggle. Mexicos key issue is
violence, and the majority of violence is spawned by this. As officials attempt to
shut down smuggling networks, tens of thousands of Mexicans died when drug
cartels fragmented after Mexican security forces killed or put their leaders in jail
(Mexico easing up on Marijuana laws). The ensuing power vacuum stoked violent
firefights for control of territory that led to dramatic rises in murders, kidnapping,
and extortion. Evelyn Morris Krache talks about violence rapidly spreading in her
article, Think again: Mexican Drug Cartels , and goes into detail about the
violence, and she speaks about how men are being kidnapped and killed and thrown
into mass graves all due to an ongoing war between rival drug gangs. Drug cartels
spark fear into Mexican citizens by acts such as cutting heads off and rolling them
into nightclub dance floors. CNN wire talks about the discovery of an 800-yard
tunnel route considered the longest cross-border tunnel ever discovered, which
runs through Tijuana, Mexico ending in a neighborhood in San Diego was found and
federal agents seized seven tons of marijuana. The tunnel was furnished with lights,
ventilation systems, and a large elevator (U.S. Mexico drug tunnel spanned 800
yards, held 2 tons of cocaine).
Lastly, the banning of marijuana causes injustice. Anna J Cabot discusses
problems faced by Mexican Asylum seekers and states that the rate of homicides
increases by 75 per day, while numerous numbers of citizens disappear and are
never found, just from the drug war alone. Over 60,000 deaths have occurred and
Mexico has become destabilized. Numerous amount of death have been resulted
from drug related violence, although a part of this has to do with the aggressiveness
of the government. (Manar). Struggles and fighting of power within these cartels
due to the banning of marijuana have become significantly violent. Citizens

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continue to face back to back escalating violence from organized- crime groups,
military and government officials so to remove themselves from these situations,
many have fled to United States seeking protection. (Anna J. Cabot). In the United
States, they frequently endure prolonged detention and asylum system that is
unresponsive to the danger they have escaped, ultimately defeating the purpose of
escaping the violence in Mexico.
The banning of marijuana increases the mortality rate of citizens in Mexico.
Marijuana should be legalized to prevent any more innocent lives from being lost.
Last but not least, to end one of Mexicos on going key issues.

Works Cited
Cabot.J.Anna. Problems faced by Mexican asylum seekers in the United States.
Journal on Migration and Human Security 2.4(2014): 361t. Global issues in
context.web.22 Apr. 2016 context: result of strict law enforcement on
marijuana.
Friedman, Thomas L. Narcos, nos and nafta. New York Times 2 May 2010: 10 (L).
Global issues in context. Web.22 apr.2016. Context: narcos.
Mexico easing up on marijuana laws. CNN wire 19 April 2016 Global issues in
context. Web 21 Apr. 2016 context: result of strict law enforcement on
marijuana.

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Mexicos Drug War. Worldmark modern conflict and diplomacy. Ed. Elizabeth
Manar.vol.2.detroit: gale, 2014.383-390.Global issues in context. Web. 20
Apr.2016.context: Mexicos drug war.
Morris, Evelyn Krache. Think again: Mexican drug cartels. Foreign policy 203
(2013):30t global issues in context.web.22 Apr. 2016 context- drug cartels in
Mexico.
Smuggling drugs like Marijuana and cocaine. New York Times upfront 10 dec.2012:
3.global issues in context. Web. 22 apr.2016. Context: smuggling of drugs.
US- Mexico drug tunnel spanned 800 yards, held 2 tons of cocaine. CNN wire 21
apr.2016.global issues in context. Web.22 Apr. 2016 context: Mexicos drug
tunnel.