The drug trafficking will never cease because there is too much money involved. Drug usage among the youth is not going away. Why? There is no replacement for instant gratification. The long term gratification of God’s joy has been rejected. The true magnitude of this national problem is mostlikely classified as secret. The only real solution to the drug problem is to stop it at the borders with drone surveillance and a drastic increase of officers, or make it legal and collect taxes followed by saving an enormous amount of money that has been used for policing the illegal actives and the legal process and the cost of imprisonment. The latter being an enormous amount of tax money saved. Enough to make substantial payments into the national deficit.
The drug problem is so huge until the policing of the illegality has far surpassed the cost of policing the legal consequences. Also, the increasing immigration problem parallels the drug trafficking problem. Both problems requires the same tactics; overwhelming policing of our borders. The use of helicopters, drones, and fighter jets, and an increase of boots on the ground. There is no simple solution nor an intricate magic solution.
Both drug and immigration problems must be attacked with the same resources and the same intensity; only moderated by more humane laws such as legalizing drugs and making citizenship available to others thru comprehensive requirements that are conducive to a successful and productive life in America.