Pubdate: Sun, 20 Sep 2015 Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Copyright: 2015 The Arizona Republic Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24 Author: Joe Adam Diaz DON'T BLAME MEXICO FOR OUR DRUG PROBLEM The United States consumes more illegal narcotics by far than any other nation in the world. This country sends billions of dollars to Mexico and other countries south of our border for narcotics. Drug cartels were necessary to manage the volume. It is simple supply and demand. Mexico gets blamed for the U.S. drug problem, but it's the insatiable and ever-increasing desire for dope in this country that keeps illegal drugs flowing north from Mexico. Nearly all guns used in Mexican drug wars originate in the United States. Some of those guns have been traced back to U.S. government agencies. Despite drug wars fought over the U.S. dope market, the murder rate in the United States far overshadows that of Mexico. Mexico is not to blame for the drug problem in the United States. There would be no drug cartels or drug traffic if not for the demand for dope from the United States. - - Joe Adam Diaz, Phoenix - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom