There is one simple way to eliminate the source of about one half of the drug trafficking in the United States of America.

And that is legalizing marijuana.

The correct question to ask is; are the heath problems and social problems associated with marijuana use worse than explosive growth in the health and social problems associated with gun violence, kidnapping, home invasion and beheading?

I think that drug trafficking violence is now a real probability in any neighborhood; rich or poor, city or rural, in the United States of America.

In my opinion law enforcement in the USA cannot keep ahead of the drug trafficking business. Since the United States of America is by far the largest user country on earth; legalizing marijuana would cut an entire product and revenue stream from that product from the worldwide drug trafficking industry.

The citizens of the USA are currently on the losing side of the “War on Drugs”. With less money on tap for the drug traffickers; the “battlefield” of the “War on Drugs” would be more even. And part of the tax revenue from the sale of marijuana could go to law enforcement.

There are hundreds of millions of dollars available for bribing. I would be highly suspect of any politician that opposes legalizing marijuana.

The article below centers on the drug violence from Mexico. A large amount of the marijuana sold in the USA also comes from Canada.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/us/23border.html?hp