Dayuhan. You have picked up and carried my mantra on US illegal drug policies almost to the letter.

I grew up in rural southern Oregon where there's a great deal of marijuana is grown, and at least one small town that sits strategically on I-5 and at the entrance into millions of acres of rugged national forest land stayed solvent as the timber industry waned by laundering drug proceeds through legitimate businesses.

As an ODA commander I did a short stint with the Border Patrol Tactical Unit on our SW border; and later in life as a prosecutor served in the Felony Drug Unit in the Multnomah County (Portland, OR) DA's office.

Supply and Demand; Blame and Responsibility; Ethics and Pragmatism. There are so many conflicting issues that concensus is impossible.

I've never met a drug pusher, but I've met and known a lot of business men who sell illegal drugs. Our laws and our policies for enforcing those laws are heavily weighted toward punishing those who sell over those who use. Users are seen as victims; yet they are the demand that drives this entire market.

"Give unto Ceaser that which is Ceaser's" was and is wise advice. The U.S. wants to get into the morality market far too much. To Ceaser I would recommend, "Give unto God that which is God's." Ceaser needs to focus on law and policy. Illegal Drugs is two words. Change that first word to "legal" and one has an entirely new dynamic. That is within Ceaser's lane to do; coupled with new policies to define who can use these legal drugs, and who, by their chosen profession must submit to regular testing and is not eligible as a matter of policy to partake. Make it a personal choice. Use drugs or have an important career, but not both. Fail your piss test, lose your job. Enjoy your drugs.

Mexico suffers due to the illegality of the drug market. Mexico would have no such problems if it were a legal drug market. As for the U.S.; no need to agonize over punishing users, losing one's job is punishment enough. Buyers will prefer the relative safety and quality control of official sellers; and revenues will fund rehab programs for those who fall victim to their own vices.

This is one more area where we need to stop demanding that others change to suit us, and look at some hard changes that we need to place upon ourselves in order to solve our problems.