Drug Culture in Mexico

This report will detail what Mexican Drug culture is and how it came to be commonly practiced across the borderlands of Mexico.

What’s more these cartels’ will also use the kidnaped women and girls for their own personal use. Nevertheless, the spread of human trafficking in Mexico has declined, yet the biggest problem has moved into the Mexican mountains, where remote areas have little or no authority at all. These areas are where the cartel usually pays off the authorities. But, in the case

A Youth Behavior Survey that was completed in 2015 from high schools all around the nation reported that New Mexico was ranked second in the use of cocaine, ecstasy, fifth for methamphetamine and highest for heroin. In the article they included that there is a lack of treatment options for young teens and the availability of these drugs is usually in their own homes. From these statistics, it shows that the society of New Mexico is beginning the use of drugs at a young age. With beginning to take drugs as a teen, it can become a gateway to worse drugs in the future, and just goes to show why there are so many deaths from drug overdose. In the article it states “advocates for addicts point to an abundance of illegal drugs in New Mexico, and a shortage of addiction treatment options.” (Uyttebrouck) For teens to get on a better track, rehab programs and the health department should be educating these teens on the many problems that can come from bad habits of taking drugs so they can have a better society.

The United States is the world’s number one consumer of narcotics and thus 90% of cocaine seized in the U.S. comes from Mexico due to the close geographical boundaries it is easy to smuggle illegal drugs into the U.S. from Mexico. The U.S.’s demand for narcotics and other drugs creates an 18-39 billion dollar market each year, all coming solely from drug sales. Drug violence is a direct result of protecting each business 's product. Cartels like the Zetas use violence to create a “brand” for their franchise. The violent cartels create a sense of fear so no one gets in their way and so others will comply with their wishes and demands.

Drug Cartels are large highly sophisticated organizations composed of multiple Drug Trafficking Organizations-DTOs and cells with specific assignments such as drug transportation or security. The Cartel is the highest on the drug ring chart and these organizations are highly defined with control structures that produce, transport, and distribute large quantities of illicit drugs (US Drug Enforcement Agency, 2004). The criminal groups operating in the U.S. controls drugs in the ranges of small to moderately size groups. The top three levels of the drug trafficking chart show how organized the criminals are and how much is at stake. The trafficking ring has affected so many lives, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). These trafficked drugs affect people on every socio-economic background, region, and people with any level education. Early use of illicit drugs leads to unhealthy behavior and it is also associated with unwanted pregnancy and premature sexual activity which results in exposure to STDs and or HIV. The U.S. suffers an annual loss of about 70 billion dollars due to

where the wider economy is not receptive to these dislocated people, the underground economy is. That does not mean that anyone without a job is suddenly going to become a drug dealer; the process is not that simple. But the facts of race relations, unemployment, dislocation, and destitution create alienation, and alienation allows for a certain receptivity to overtures made by people seeking youthful new recruits for the drug trade. (p. 120)

This shows the profitability of the drug trade and the absolute dependence on the underground economy for those under the poverty line in El Barrio to survive. Bourgois’ conversations also revealed that many were trapped in the drug trade and strongly desired to earn money legally but due to a lack of education were unable to get a legal job that is regular and sufficient (p.114). Bourgois uncovered that many struggled in the legal job market due to institutionalised racism and the culture shock between life in El Barrio and the outside working world (p.145, pp.158-161). Bourgois was also able to gain important information about the dealer’s school experiences which essentially ruined their chances of making a legal life for themselves as many experienced violence and ridicule at the hands of the public schooling system and dropped out early (pp.174-178). Showing the value and strength of the participant observation fieldwork.

According the Article 16 of the constitution of the Mexico United State, organized crime is defined as an “organization made up of 3 or more persons with the purpose of committing crimes in a permanent or repeated manner in the terms of the law on the matter” (Siegel, 150). The U.S Department of Justice, defines a drug cartel as “large, highly sophisticated organizations composed of multiple DTOs[ drug trafficking organizations] and cells with specific assignments such as drug transportation, security/enforcement, or money laundering” (Drug Trafficking Organizations). Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), gave a statement in which he challenges the appropriateness of the use of the term cartel, “It is now very clear to me [that] we should not call them drug cartels, because they are involved in so many other things [...]. They are multifaceted companies [...]. If we continue to call them drug cartels, even though that still remains a large part of their profits, then we will continue to think we have to deal with them through some kind of drug legislation, regulation, and so on” (Siegel, 152). For our purpose, we will use the term drug trafficking organizations as an overall umbrella to discuss all organized crime in Mexico;

Over the past few decades drug cartels in Mexico have begun glorifying their brutal attacks and fearless efforts over the war on drugs and territory. Drug trafficking has become such a profitable epidemic that various organizations have grown to exploit this area of criminality. Cartels have gained notoriety by amassing large profits in exploiting the drug business. These organizations have created complex strategies to smuggle vast amounts of narcotics from the arms of the producer straight into the hands of the buyers. They have perfected this strategy successfully by distributing the illicit narcotics with the help of their government and local law enforcement, who in return receive bribes of monetary value to look the other way. This

Despite President Felipe Calderon’s good intentions and determination to eliminate the drug cartels in Mexico, the Mexican government has not been able to stop the drug cartel’s operations (smuggling drugs, people and weapons to and from the USA) for many reasons. The drug cartels have proven to be powerful, well connected politically, well trained, well- armed, and manipulation of the masses. Therefore, it has been impossible for the Mexican government to stop cartels like La Familia from operating, and now the cartels have become a problem for the Unites States too.

Prior to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States Border Patrol’s concentration of security was primarily concentrated on the international borders. Afterwards, with the consistent influx of illegal immigrants attempting to cross the border and the possibility that some of those can be potential terrorists, border security was significantly increased and concentrated on the safety of the country.

Based on Robert Merton's strain theory that was taught in the Intro Sociology class, I can expect that due to the decline in youth employment rates, the rate of youth drug trafficking will increase in correlation. Based on prior knowledge, Merton suggests that when society's mainstream goals are not attainable to people in convenient means, the result is a feeling of pressure. Consequently, people will adapt in different ways such as 'innovation,' where the individual will accept the goal but reject the means of achieving it. One can note that in Canada, being a law-abiding citizen who works hard for a living is a major societal goal.

Since the year Mexico declared war on the cartels there has been thousands of deaths every year, “More than 85,000 people have been killed in Mexico since former President Felipe Calderon launched his military initiative against the cartels in 2006, according to Reuters” (Green house, 2015). Many innocent people have been killed and are still getting killed by these drug dealers. The cartels have taken over what used to be Mexico’s culture and have created a new culture, the “narco culture”. Individuals who live in states such as: Sinaloa Michoacán and Tijuana have become used to the everyday violence that they see in their neighborhoods, in parks or just outside a grocery store. The violence that is happening every day in those states has

It has helped in delivering, enacting and also enforcing laws that protect the society a factor that has ensured domestic tranquility in the entire country. When any person brings in a disruption to the lives of another, the affected party can get justice after all the mental, physical or emotional harm caused. Without the legal systems, many criminals would get away with whatever crime they commit a factor that would have contributed to creation of absolute chaos. Authoritative order is one of the best benefits that the people have enjoyed in Mexico courtesy of the legal systems. It has protected the harm of the people from the high rate of drugs that has become widespread issue in the country (Ruiz, 2013). These laws have enabled the creation

In Mexico is considered county that is involved in illicit drugs. The eradication of illicit drug crops is still a priority for the Mexican Army. The Mexican syndicate involved in trafficking drugs, primarily marijuana, heroin and cocaine. Drugs are being distributed in the United States, Columbia and southern Mexico. During this time the Mexican Drug Cartel took over the shipment and wholesale markets from the Columbians by dividing the cocaine down the middle with the United States markets. The Mexican syndicate is a major trafficker for cocaine and methamphetamine in the United States. The control of methamphetamines is by the motor-cycle gang known as the Outlaw which was organized and operated out of Mexico and California. Mexico