The days when the drug war was contained south of the border are gone. With the U.S. Justice Department’s National Drug Intelligence Center estimating most of the marijuana and as much as 90 percent of cocaine coming into this country from Mexico, this is big business bringing with it gang activity, corruption and death. While Southern Arizona in general and Tucson in particular are in the direct path of the invasion, drug gangs have set up distribution centers in most American cities.

What should be done about it? Can we crack down on it here without also cracking down on civil rights? Does the public favor intensified suppression, or legalization to deprive the cartels of their monopolies? In hopes of finding out, I posted a survey for visitors to my website. The answers were revealing.

The question was “What should be done about the drug infestation?” The answers:

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• 10 percent responded: Intensify suppression even at the cost of civil rights.

• 9 percent responded: Try to suppress with measured force.

• 37 percent responded: Chase the whole problem back to Mexico.

• 13 percent responded: Create legalized government drug monopoly depriving cartels of cash flow.

• 18 percent responded: Decriminalize drugs and let the free market act.

• 13 percent responded: None of the above.

The diversity of opinion reflects the difficulty of the problem. Probably the most realistic answer is “none of the above.”

Although a plurality wanted to chase the problem back to Mexico, that may be the most unrealistic response. It would have been easier to keep it out than to get it out now that it is firmly entrenched. I am inclined to believe the United States must reorder the incentives presented by the problem.

As long as there is such an insatiable demand for the drugs, we must recognize the demand will be met somehow. It seems unrealistic to make it any more illegal than it already is or to make the penalties more draconian. We cannot reduce demand appreciably by attacking the users because they are our family, friends, and business associates whether you know it or not. In a broad sense, they are us.

If we can rid the earth of the cartels who make huge amounts of money supplying drugs, we can reduce corruption in Mexico (and the U.S.) — a very worthwhile endeavor.

Right now the drug cartels are on the verge of seizing Mexico from its legitimate government. This would be a disaster for the U.S. Without the cartels, Mexico could become safer and considerably more productive, turning its attention to doing things economically productive.

The only way to deprive the cartels of their income is to go into competition with them. The United States government is still more powerful than the cartels and can outsupply them. If the government decriminalized the drugs in question but entered into a monopoly distribution arrangement, it could undercut the prices of the cartels, bankrupting them. There might eventually arise an accommodation in which the cartels would supply the U.S. government exclusively. No private sales permitted.

Why a government monopoly? Because we really don’t want to encourage drug use. Private businesses would have incentives to increase sales. Government would not. It could exert some control over the distribution.

After a while, the situation should become accepted and the cartels would get out of the business of killing their competitors and buying the Mexican government person-by-person. As the sole customer for the cartels, representing enormous purchasing power, the U.S. could at last get all the players under control.

Obvious objections include the morality of the government selling poison. And we are left with the old cop out, “They are going to do it anyway.” At least this way we exercise some control. Like with alcoholic beverages.

Is it a perfect solution? No. But I think it is the only solution that has a chance to work. I am a strong believer in incentives. As long as incentives are at odds with each other as they are now, resolution of the problem looks impossible. Using this bold approach, we can better use the resources we are now wasting on a futile efforts to intercept drugs and incarcerate users.

Contact Lionel Waxman at territorial@waxmanmedia.com or visit his website: www.newflashpoint.com. Lionel Waxman’s Flashpoint commentaries are published in The Daily Territorial.