Ted Galen Carpenter discusses the roots of Mexico’s drug violence.

Since January 2007 there have been more than 6,800 drug-war related deaths in Mexico, and Mexican drug cartels continue to expand their operations in American cities. Washington's response has been to expand its prohibitionist efforts with the Mérida Initiative, a U.S.­Mexico anti-drug-trafficking program. Historically, however, prohibitionist policies have had little success in reducing the flow of drugs. Ted Galen Carpenter, Cato's Vice President for Defense and Foreign Policy Studies, suggests a new strategy must be tried.