This paper investigates the potential economic and violence-reducing impacts of marijuana legalization in California on drug trafficking revenues and associated violence in Mexico. The author, Beau Kilmer, a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, examines the complex relationship between drug policy in the United States and the dynamics of drug cartels in Mexico. The analysis considers various scenarios and the potential ripple effects of policy changes, drawing on economic principles and data related to drug markets and violence.

This occasional paper from the RAND Corporation is likely to be of interest to policymakers, researchers, and academics focused on drug policy, international relations, and economics. Its analytical approach, grounded in economic principles and data, suggests a focus on evidence-based assessment rather than advocacy. The paper's findings would contribute to ongoing debates about drug prohibition and its consequences, particularly concerning the financial incentives for criminal organizations and the resulting violence.