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Dealing Death and Drugs: The Big Business of Dope in the U.S. and Mexico
The War on Drugs doesn’t work. This became obvious to El Paso City Representatives Susie Byrd and Beto O’Rourke when they started to ask questions about why El Paso’s sister city, Ciudad Juárez, has become the deadliest city in the world—8,000-plus deaths since January 1, 2008.
Byrd and O’Rourke soon realized American drug use and United States' failed War on Drugs are at the core of problem. In Dealing Death and Drugs — a book written for the general reader — they explore the costs and consequences of marijuana prohibition. They argue that marijuana prohibition has created a black market so profitable that drug kingpins are billionaires and drug control doesn’t stand a chance.
Using Juárez as their focus, they describe the business model of drug trafficking and explain why this illicit system has led to the never-ending slaughter of human beings. Their position: the only rational alternative to the War on Drugs is to end to the current prohibition on marijuana.
"If Washington won’t do anything different, if Mexico City won’t do anything different, then it is up to us — the citizens of the border who understand the futility and tragedy of this current policy first hand — to lead the way." — from the Afterword
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Dealing Death and Drugs will be donated to Centro Santa Catalina, a faith-based community in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, founded in 1996 by Dominican Sisters for the spiritual, educational and economic empowerment of economically poor women and for the welfare of their families.
Byrd and O’Rourke soon realized American drug use and United States' failed War on Drugs are at the core of problem. In Dealing Death and Drugs — a book written for the general reader — they explore the costs and consequences of marijuana prohibition. They argue that marijuana prohibition has created a black market so profitable that drug kingpins are billionaires and drug control doesn’t stand a chance.
Using Juárez as their focus, they describe the business model of drug trafficking and explain why this illicit system has led to the never-ending slaughter of human beings. Their position: the only rational alternative to the War on Drugs is to end to the current prohibition on marijuana.
"If Washington won’t do anything different, if Mexico City won’t do anything different, then it is up to us — the citizens of the border who understand the futility and tragedy of this current policy first hand — to lead the way." — from the Afterword
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Dealing Death and Drugs will be donated to Centro Santa Catalina, a faith-based community in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, founded in 1996 by Dominican Sisters for the spiritual, educational and economic empowerment of economically poor women and for the welfare of their families.
- GenresPoliticsNonfictionCrime
144 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 15, 2018
It’s really hard for me to pass up an easy 100-page policy pamphlet, especially one by an up-and-coming politician that addresses an issue that will only see more debate in the next couple of years — drug cartels and marijuana legalization.
This book is a perfect example to me of how public policy should look. Beto, a former El Paso City Councilman, presents his arguments backed by mountains of statistical evidence and almost entirely free from emotional rhetoric known to fire up voters and burn down any hopes of productive discussion.
Summary of the facts: Prohibition has not decreased demand for marijuana in the last 80 years. Cartels control every stage of marijuana production, keeping manufacturing costs low and prices high. Demand for marijuana is rock solid, unlike harder drugs, and provides cartels with a dependable and predictable source of revenue. Evidence shows that ending the prohibition of marijuana will reduce prices in a safe, well-regulated legal market and force cartels to lower theirs. Lack of demand for illegal marijuana would likely decrease cartel revenue streams and stimulate state and local economies. Win for the good guys.
Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug by the federal government — same as heroin and cocaine. Schedule I drugs are, by legal definition, highly addictive and have no medical benefits. Research shows that marijuana is, in fact, not highly addictive (much lower rates of dependence than alcohol and nicotine) and could have valuable therapeutic applications.
Whether you want to use it or not, marijuana is — at the very least — misclassified by the DEA. Ignoring that hurts the credibility of the federal government, degrades respect for the law, and costs the U.S. billions of dollars on futile enforcement efforts and decades-long drug wars.
If insanity is repeatedly doing the same thing over again and expecting different results, then it’s probably time for opinions to change.
This book is a perfect example to me of how public policy should look. Beto, a former El Paso City Councilman, presents his arguments backed by mountains of statistical evidence and almost entirely free from emotional rhetoric known to fire up voters and burn down any hopes of productive discussion.
Summary of the facts: Prohibition has not decreased demand for marijuana in the last 80 years. Cartels control every stage of marijuana production, keeping manufacturing costs low and prices high. Demand for marijuana is rock solid, unlike harder drugs, and provides cartels with a dependable and predictable source of revenue. Evidence shows that ending the prohibition of marijuana will reduce prices in a safe, well-regulated legal market and force cartels to lower theirs. Lack of demand for illegal marijuana would likely decrease cartel revenue streams and stimulate state and local economies. Win for the good guys.
Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug by the federal government — same as heroin and cocaine. Schedule I drugs are, by legal definition, highly addictive and have no medical benefits. Research shows that marijuana is, in fact, not highly addictive (much lower rates of dependence than alcohol and nicotine) and could have valuable therapeutic applications.
Whether you want to use it or not, marijuana is — at the very least — misclassified by the DEA. Ignoring that hurts the credibility of the federal government, degrades respect for the law, and costs the U.S. billions of dollars on futile enforcement efforts and decades-long drug wars.
If insanity is repeatedly doing the same thing over again and expecting different results, then it’s probably time for opinions to change.
October 29, 2012
this was a great little book! it is short but well researched and too the point. it reminded me a lot of Are Prisons Obsolete? and i think the authors offer it in a simliar vein. i am particularly impressed that it is coming from city politicians in el paso. those working along the border came to these conclusions long ago but as the authors point out, the state and federal government want no part in a frank discussion on legalization. the war on drugs has been a spectacular failure. if you are looking for a short, simple book to make the case to anyone you know who thinks we need to continue the drug war, this book is for you. if you are then looking for some more info on the racist nature of the war on drugs and the disporportional impact it has on black and brown communities then check out The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. a great companion to this book.
October 9, 2016
Supply and demand. I say legalize the "shite" and let the users OD. Sweep it up, and deal with the rest. Companies have to drug test the job seekers and can't even find enough workers to pass the drug user tests.
This is BIG business, from A to Z. Our legal system, from cops to prisons, is bogged down with the cost of "illegal drugs" and the people who traffic them. They catch the perps from the high end of unproven income but money laundering is an art. Even the Spanish translator makes out (me).
I agree with the premise of this book. It's a good start. It didn't even mention the tunnels under the borders, only trucks and mules. Five stars for courage.
This is BIG business, from A to Z. Our legal system, from cops to prisons, is bogged down with the cost of "illegal drugs" and the people who traffic them. They catch the perps from the high end of unproven income but money laundering is an art. Even the Spanish translator makes out (me).
I agree with the premise of this book. It's a good start. It didn't even mention the tunnels under the borders, only trucks and mules. Five stars for courage.
November 1, 2019
This is a very short, quick book! I appreciate the information and it gives me a perspective on the drug war I hadn't understood previously. There is a lot to think about here and I have to agree with the author's conclusions that we could being unraveling this by legalizing drugs and controlling them like we do alcohol and tobacco.
I am surprised Beto doesn't have a book out that helps us understand him fully as a Presidential Candidate, but you get a solid understanding of where he stands on drugs.
I am surprised Beto doesn't have a book out that helps us understand him fully as a Presidential Candidate, but you get a solid understanding of where he stands on drugs.
February 2, 2019
An interesting and timely policy treatise. Even though we are already in the process of legalizing marijuana at the individual state level, this short book gives a great demonstration of why legalization at the national level is a change that is not only necessary, but longer overdue.
July 3, 2025
This was an informative and eye-opening read. While the book is a bit dated, not much has improved—in fact, the situation has arguably gotten worse, especially with the rise of fentanyl.
The levels of violence described and employed by the Mexican cartels are truly chilling. It’s disturbing to see how far human cruelty can go: massacring schoolchildren, displaying decapitated bodies, and contributing to an unimaginable murder rate. It’s a stark reminder of how deeply pernicious and widespread this problem is.
But the violence doesn’t occur in a vacuum. One of the book’s strengths is how clearly it explains the market forces driving this brutality. These cartels wouldn’t be thriving without demand from the United States. Despite decades of the so-called “war on drugs,” American appetite for narcotics remains insatiable and is directly fueling the cartels’ profits. And that’s without even mentioning the steady flow of American guns and ammunition into Mexico.
As someone interested in business operations and supply chains, I appreciated how the book broke down the economics: from the cost of supply and transportation logistics to the staggering profit margins. These cartels run like Fortune 500 companies, only they use bullets instead of boardrooms to grow their market share. The organizational complexity is both terrifying and, in a strange way, impressive. I can only imagine how much more sophisticated these operations have become with new technologies.
The book also makes a compelling case for the federal legalization of marijuana. It draws a clear parallel to the failure of alcohol prohibition and outlines several strong reasons why national legalization is not only logical but necessary. Regulation would make consumption safer, allow for proper oversight, and potentially reduce the taxpayer burden of a drug war where the only clear winners are violent criminal enterprises and the result is more death.
The levels of violence described and employed by the Mexican cartels are truly chilling. It’s disturbing to see how far human cruelty can go: massacring schoolchildren, displaying decapitated bodies, and contributing to an unimaginable murder rate. It’s a stark reminder of how deeply pernicious and widespread this problem is.
But the violence doesn’t occur in a vacuum. One of the book’s strengths is how clearly it explains the market forces driving this brutality. These cartels wouldn’t be thriving without demand from the United States. Despite decades of the so-called “war on drugs,” American appetite for narcotics remains insatiable and is directly fueling the cartels’ profits. And that’s without even mentioning the steady flow of American guns and ammunition into Mexico.
As someone interested in business operations and supply chains, I appreciated how the book broke down the economics: from the cost of supply and transportation logistics to the staggering profit margins. These cartels run like Fortune 500 companies, only they use bullets instead of boardrooms to grow their market share. The organizational complexity is both terrifying and, in a strange way, impressive. I can only imagine how much more sophisticated these operations have become with new technologies.
The book also makes a compelling case for the federal legalization of marijuana. It draws a clear parallel to the failure of alcohol prohibition and outlines several strong reasons why national legalization is not only logical but necessary. Regulation would make consumption safer, allow for proper oversight, and potentially reduce the taxpayer burden of a drug war where the only clear winners are violent criminal enterprises and the result is more death.
March 23, 2023
I was expecting more policy proposal out of this, and was pleasantly surprised that most of it is an in depth review on Drug War history. Not only is this interesting information but they do a great job of setting up their final section of policy proposals with it.
It’s also been interesting to look back on this argument in 2023. Written in 2011, there was already so much history and data to build an argument- but I’d love to see this with an update as of recently now that places like NYC have made huge steps forward on marijuana policies.
It’s also been interesting to look back on this argument in 2023. Written in 2011, there was already so much history and data to build an argument- but I’d love to see this with an update as of recently now that places like NYC have made huge steps forward on marijuana policies.
May 23, 2019
Trying to read books by all of the Democratic presidential candidates I'm considering and this was the closest Beto O'Rourke had. Very interesting and felt I learned something about that region. Also better informed my views on legalization of marijuana.
June 7, 2013
I'm going to ditto Dan's review. Short little book. To the point. And an interesting and often not published perspective.
February 15, 2022
I listened to this book on mp3 disk in my car. It was originally published in 2011. The audio recording was produced in 2019.
This work is basically a history of the drug trade in the El Paso/Juarez area along with policy proposals for dealing with the issue.
One main topic is the many deaths that occur with criminalizing marijuana and cocaine. Just as crime and murder soared in the United States during prohibition so Juarez has seen a huge spike in crimes and murder as the result of territorial disputes over turf in that city. When lawlessness has no consequences, the situation only gets worse.
I remember when John McCain talked about the "existential crisis" in Mexico. At first that phrase puzzled me, but then I realized that it referred to the fact that there was no effective national, state or local governance throughout large areas in Mexico.
I agree entirely about the uselessness of the so-called war on drugs. It has not accomplished its goals. I am thankful that Arizona, largely through voter-initiated ballot proposals, was able to legalize first medical marijuana and then recreational marijuana. It is better to earn taxes off of this industry than to waste time trying to interdict it besides jailing disproportionately persons of color for violating drug laws.
The book essentially calls for legalization of marijuana at a time when this was just gaining traction in many states.
This work also cites the racist views against Latinos and blacks that provided fuel for the criminalization of drugs in this country.
So I gleaned some historical knowledge from this work but as far as the policy recommendations I was already on board.
This work is basically a history of the drug trade in the El Paso/Juarez area along with policy proposals for dealing with the issue.
One main topic is the many deaths that occur with criminalizing marijuana and cocaine. Just as crime and murder soared in the United States during prohibition so Juarez has seen a huge spike in crimes and murder as the result of territorial disputes over turf in that city. When lawlessness has no consequences, the situation only gets worse.
I remember when John McCain talked about the "existential crisis" in Mexico. At first that phrase puzzled me, but then I realized that it referred to the fact that there was no effective national, state or local governance throughout large areas in Mexico.
I agree entirely about the uselessness of the so-called war on drugs. It has not accomplished its goals. I am thankful that Arizona, largely through voter-initiated ballot proposals, was able to legalize first medical marijuana and then recreational marijuana. It is better to earn taxes off of this industry than to waste time trying to interdict it besides jailing disproportionately persons of color for violating drug laws.
The book essentially calls for legalization of marijuana at a time when this was just gaining traction in many states.
This work also cites the racist views against Latinos and blacks that provided fuel for the criminalization of drugs in this country.
So I gleaned some historical knowledge from this work but as far as the policy recommendations I was already on board.
September 22, 2020
The first half is interesting, as they walk through the business model and value chain for illegal marijuana distribution. Granted, as a reader with an MBA, this is right up my alley. By the end, they make the comparison to alcohol and talk about what controlled use might look like. It’s a quick, easy read.
May 30, 2020
Quite a compelling argument!
March 21, 2022
Fascinating study of cartel economics and how they're powered by the US quixotic drug and immigration policies.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews