With the aid of American intelligence, Mexican marines arrested Joaquín Guzmán, allegedly the country’s most powerful drug lord, on Feb. 22. In late 2006, President Felipe Calderón began a military assault on criminal cartels. The struggle for power in the Mexican drug trade resulted in a reported 47,515 deaths between 2006 and 2012. Current figures estimate over 60,000 total deaths. While the recent capture of Guzmán, also known as El Chapo, indicates a significant breakthrough in the efforts to slow the drug trade between Mexico and the United States, the effects of a single arrest should not be overstated.

Although the capture of El Chapo may lead to the temporary downfall of the Sinaloa Cartel if an internal power struggle arises, others can seize the opportunity to gain more control over the drug trade. Before El Chapo’s capture, the most prominent drug trafficking organizations in Mexico were Sinaloa, controlling Western Mexico, and Los Zetas, which held Eastern Mexico. Los Zetas will likely move to gain control of the west, causing a new wave of violence. Mexican drug trafficking organizations take in up to $29 billion each year from American drug sales. The transactions primarily involve cocaine and marijuana.

To deter cartels and drug lords like El Chapo, the United States should legalize marijuana throughout the country for individuals who are at least 21 years old. With the national debt rising above $17 trillion, revenue from legal marijuana sales would provide a stimulus to the economy. By following the path established by Colorado and Washington, the United States could boost state and national economies. According to The New York Times, a budget proposal by Gov. John Hickenlooper predicted that Colorado could collect about $134 million a year in taxes from medical and recreational marijuana in the first fiscal year that it is legal in the state.

The legalization of marijuana would also have a significant impact on prison overcrowding. With prisons reportedly operating at 99 percent occupancy, states continue to build new facilities in order to provide suitable conditions for prisoners. In a report released by Time magazine, over half of America’s prisoners are serving time for drug-related charges. The legalization of marijuana would ease the economic strain of creating more facilities to accommodate the large number of convicted criminals.

Despite the financial benefits that arise from marijuana’s legalization, the humanitarian benefits that accompany its legalization should ultimately be the deciding factor. Presumably, the United States has been pursuing drug cartels predominantly to stop the violence that has led to tens of thousands of deaths. As current efforts have not successfully mitigated the violence, the country must consider other approaches.

Dan Moritz-Rabson is a contributing columnist. Email him at [email protected].