According to data released by the U.S. Border Patrol, 2015 saw the lowest amount of marijuana seized at the U.S./Mexican border in a decade, and Mexican manufacturers of (illegal) marijuana say that drug prices have dropped dramatically since some states have legalized the recreational use and production of the drug.
The U.S. Border Patrol has released 2015 data showing that the number of marijuana seizures throughout the southwest U.S./Mexico border has fallen to the lowest level in a decade, the Washington Post reports.
Mexican manufacturers of illegal marijuana bricks have driven down prices as residents in California, Colorado, and Washington state now have safe access to reasonably affordable medical marijuana and/or recreational cannabis.
“Two or three years ago, a kilogram [2.2 pounds] of marijuana was worth $60 to $90,” a Mexican marijuana grower told NPR news in December 2014. “But now they’re paying us $30 to $40 a kilo. It’s a big difference. If the U.S. continues to legalize pot, they’ll run us into the ground.”
Additionally, the quality of marijuana has increased as (legal) American production of cannabis has forced Mexican and Caribbean producers to effectively up their game to compete with superior American products.
Mexican drug cartels are extremely powerful and extremely violent. Anything that cuts into their main source of income is a net positive for society. Marijuana will always exist and will always be consumed regardless of legal status--and it makes more sense to keep things domestic and keep money out of the hands of cartels.
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