We learned that the drug that killed Prince is a favorite of Mexican cartels. I don't mean that they consume it or pass it on to their families. They like it because we consume it, as we read in the New York Times:
The drug that killed Prince has become a favorite of Mexican cartels because it is extremely potent, popular in the United States — and immensely profitable, American officials say.Marketing genius? These cartels know supply and demand better than we do.
Law enforcement and border authorities in the United States warn that Mexican cartels are using their own labs to produce the drug, fentanyl, as well as receiving shipments from China. Then the cartels distribute the substance through their vast smuggling networks to meet rising Americandemand for opiates and pharmaceuticals.
“It is really the next migration of the cartels in terms of making profit,” said Jack Riley, acting deputy administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “This goes to the heart of the marketing genius of the cartels. They saw this coming.”
What can we do?
The wall is a start because it would close the easy routes into Arizona. It would force the cartels to send their shipments by air or into Texas by the Gulf of Mexico. It would increase the risk for the cartels.
At the same time, supply always finds demand, specially when the supplier is making so much money. After all, why do you think that El Chapo is so rich? He became wealthy supplying our demand for all of these drugs.
We could militarize portions of the border, specially the wide open routes currently used. I have always supported that because it establishes the fact that we are serious about the matter. In fact, a military presence may be more significant than the wall.
We could start another campaign to point out the risks of consumption and Prince's death could become the face of that campaign.
Last, but not least, It would be nice to have a president who connects the recreational use of illegal drugs with border violence and kids showing up at the border. Or someone who can remind the user that he or she is funding the mindless killing south of the border or the destruction of small countries like Guatemala.
In the meantime, the cartels will continue to be marketing geniuses because they supply our demand for this stuff!
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Tags: Supply and demand and the Mexican cartels To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!