Drug-related violence in Mexico escalated beginning the 2007 when former president Felipe Calderon declared war on drug cartels. While corruption and an ineffective justice system frustrate attempts to control the violence, the fact remains that it is the illegal drug markets in every corner of the United States that fuel the violence. Action by Mexican authorities, while welcome, is unlikely to curb the violence in the absence of serious drug policy reform in our country.

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Howard Rahtz is the author of Drugs, Crime and Violence: From Trafficking to Treatment. He is active in speaking on police and drug issues, is a member of the Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) and his blog can be viewed a HowardRahtz.com.