This is the Cato Daily Podcast for Wednesday, October 19th, 2011. I'm Caleb Brown. The United

States is both the biggest consumer of illegal drugs and the most fervent fighter of the

war on drugs.

Perhaps no country has paid a higher price for that contradiction than Mexico

as cartels fight for the mere opportunity to satisfy drug demand in the United States, tens of thousands of

Mexicans are killed in the crossfire.

Vicente Fox is the former president of Mexico. His message is simple.

Prohibition doesn't work and the United States must change

its policies. We spoke yesterday. What the United States is, is the leading

consumer of drugs nation by far.

Huge market here in the United States.

Estimated at a value of 50 billion US dollars a year.

And the question is, if the United States is the leader

on the war against drugs I would say that unfortunately what I see everywhere is a great

tolerance because on the speech on the the public appearances it seems to be that everybody is every government is

highly committed with eradicating drugs. But the truth is that there is a great tolerance.

You see drugs here in Washington everywhere. You see them in Seattle. You see them in New York. You see them in Seattle you see him in New York you see him in Madrid

the Passéo Castelliana you see him in London downtown you see it everywhere and

and this is a growing business, unfortunately in hands of criminals.

What U.S. policy should exist?

Well, I think that there is only but two choices. One is if it is

illegal you must changing the law so

...