There is a new blood diamond in international politics. This new product is enjoyed by 25 million Americans on a regular basis. It has led to the death of 6,300 people in one country alone last year. In one city, 1,600 have already been killed this year. Many have been beheaded and placed on display for all to see. The country with the largest problem is becoming the kidnapping capital of the world, and is one of two countries our government has classified as being in threat of complete government collapse. Marijuana has become the new blood diamond, and Mexico its victim. After enjoying 4/20, the question becomes: Do you care?

I hope you enjoyed your state of euphoria. After all, you’re helping contribute to a $38 billion industry for the drug cartels in Mexico. And hey, it is helping to stimulate our economy, too. After all, 90 percent of the guns being used by the drug cartels come from the United States. While the guns are great for grabbing control, a saw works better for intimidation. Beheadings have become common, and finding someone and hanging them from a bridge while placing their head in the town square has a much greater intimidation effect. These cartels have not stopped at intimidating Mexicans. Border Patrol has found heads in ice chests with notes warning them not to get involved. Sixteen hundred people died in Juarez so far this year. After carrying through on a threat to kill a police officer every 48 hours, the police commissioner of Juarez, Mexico, resigned and the mayor of the city moved his family to Texas. The city is now run by the drug cartels themselves.

Need to take another hit? Go ahead. You are helping employ U.S. teenagers. U.S. customs is finding 14-year-old Americans with marijuana strapped to their bodies as they smuggle the drugs from Mexico. And last month we found that two U.S. teens were hired at the age of 13 to be hitmen for Mexican cartels. As a bonus payment, they received a $70,000 Mercedes. The prosecutor in this teenager’s case said that working for a drug cartel is like working for a Fortune 500 company. After all, number 701 on Fortune’s list of world billionaires is a Mexican drug lord.

But don’t worry; only half of the marijuana in this country is imported. So you only have a 50 percent chance that you are funding this bloodshed. Unless, of course, you bought marijuana that’s grown here in California. The Drug Enforcement Administration found that these cartels were using national parks in California to grow marijuana because they were so secluded. The cartels have become the largest organized crime threat in America. They operate in over 250 U.S. cities, and have made Phoenix the kidnapping capital of the country.

I can already hear the voices. “Legalize marijuana! That will solve everything!” For the sake of argument I’ll listen to your call. But guess what? Today, marijuana is illegal. Today, your marijuana may be funding a drug war and the number-one organized crime threat in America. Today, your state of euphoria will help get our neighbor and ally Mexico listed with Afghanistan as a country likely to have its government collapse. You want marijuana to be legal, fine. But today, it is not. And even if you begin to convince members of Congress that it should be legal, it probably won’t be legal tomorrow, either.

As a result of drug cartels, 6,300 people were killed last year in Mexico. More people were killed last year in Mexico for drugs than soldiers in Iraq in the last six years. The protester drug of choice has killed more than the war they are protesting. But hey, as long as it feels good and is cheap, why should we care how it affects other people? After all, marijuana never killed anyone…