Losing the War on Drugs

(Getty Images)

In Mexico, between the years of 2008 and 2010, 54 people died of drug overdoses while a total of 7,000 were casualties in the 'war on drugs'. Investigative reporter Sandra Nieto argues that the country's attitude to the narcotics trade must be re-assessed.

The "supposed remedy" of armed confrontation with drug cartels is "at least 100 times worse than the supposed ills of consumption". In Juárez, a trafficking hotspot, the war on drugs has led to "extreme criminality" and made it impossible for many citizens to earn a living.

And while the state claims to be fighting the dealers, "its neglect of people addicted to drugs is almost total." Only 30% of those who ask for help in Juárez receive it.