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Illegal drugs smuggled into U.S. every day

Published: Thursday, September 24, 2009

Updated: Thursday, September 24, 2009 17:09

hot potato, mexico, drugs

Destiny Mata

Criminal justice Coordinator Marshall Lloyd gives a presentation on the Mexican drug war during Tuesday’s Hot Potato discussion at the Methodist Student Center. Lloyd spoke about the amount of drugs that enter the U.S. from Mexico.

Likening drug trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border to immigration, Marshall Lloyd, criminal justice coordinator, said Tuesday, "If we can stop people from coming into the United States, why can't we stop drugs from coming in?"

Lloyd spoke during the Hot Potato lecture at the Methodist Student Center.

Fifty-seven students attended the presentation on the Mexican drug wars to hear Lloyd explain where the drugs are coming from, who is distributing them and what the United States is doing about it.

Marijuana has been decriminalized for medical use in 13 U.S. states, which allows doctors to prescribe its use for an individual who has a possession limit ID, he said.

Mexico allows individuals to carry up to 3 grams legally, Lloyd said. Those carrying more than that amount can be passed out of the system by admitting they are addicted in front of a judge and receiving treatment.

Lloyd explained how drugs pass by every day, and most Americans don't even notice because of the variety of methods used.

w Lloyd also pointed out how the United States spends about $110 million annually to patrol the border, yet people still get across illegally. "We spend this much to stop drugs from arriving in the U.S. and yet we watch the cameras saying, ‘Oh, there goes another guy and another one.' What exactly did we pay for if this is happening?"

After the presentation, several students shared their thoughts.

"It was good and informative," said education sophomore Nate Valez. "I thought it was crazy how in Mexico you can be allowed to carry so much marijuana without getting a ticket — that was really shocking for me to hear."

Graphic design sophomore Margarita Kimbreogh said she was surprised when she heard the same thing. "I thought it was going to be like in Amsterdam where kids would go to Mexico and smoke whenever they wanted, but I was actually surprised that there was a catch to it."

The next lecture in the series, "Illegal Christianity: Immigration law and Christian Moral Teaching," will be at noon Tuesday at the Methodist Student Center, 102 Belknap Palace. For more information, call 733-1441.

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4 comments

unknown student
Tue Oct 6 2009 20:10
"Fifty-seven students attended the presentation on the Mexican drug wars to hear Lloyd explain where the drugs are coming from...."

hmmmmmmmmmm, im gonna guess...... Mexico.

rantking
Tue Oct 6 2009 02:58
Marijuana should be dealt with like alcohol or tobacco, i'm sure any economist would say that it costs less to run an add about getting yourself a cab to drive home than to run the the very unsuccessful DEA which is letting tons of dirt weed in, but has yet to affect higher grade marijuana production. Lets remember that the mafia ran rampant during alcohol prohibition, which the fed ended very quickly. Let us remember that the Declaration of Indepenence was written on hemp paper and many of our founding fathers smoked a good bowl or two throughout their days of great contemplation trying to put together a liberated government. LET US END MARIJUANA PROHIBITION.
saul ramirez
Mon Sep 28 2009 02:14
I would agree with Scott, legalization of marijuana would be great. Not that I agree with the action of smoking it, but politically wise. It would only bring revenue and demoralize the action of its use. If more kids now see it at the stores and being more mainstreamed then the act of smoking alone would not be as fulfilling.
Most surprising about this article was the fact that people in Mexico are able to walk around with the stuff legally.
scottportraits
Sat Sep 26 2009 17:43
That's right, we can never really stop the flow of marijuana over the border from Mexico to the US, and the money flowing back from the US into Mexico.
One way to curtail the practice, however, would be to make cannabis legal in the US - then the US could import it from Mexico and tax it, regulate it, make a profit from it.




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