What are your thoughts on legalizing drugs in Mexico as a way to stop cartel violence? Is there another way?

The violence escalated after Calderon declared war on the cartels. The problem stems from corruption in all levels of government form the local police to highest seats of power at the federal level. Unless those who are corrupt are found and routed out, there will be no winning the war. These are the spies that keep the enemy aware of plans of attack on them. When the enemy is apprised of your plans, they will always be one step ahead. Legalizing the drugs will just make the problem on our side of the border worse, they will move freely, unapprehended in Mexico. There is only one way and that is to find their counterparts in government that aid them and deal with them harshly. Another step could be the death penalty for any cartel member found guilty of being involved with the death of any citizen. What good is a prison sentence, like here, many illegal operations are run from the prisons. If they are dead, the will run no more operations, here anyway. We, on both sides of the border have been too soft on those who deal in drugs. It is nothing more than a slow form of murder and should be treated as such. There should be nothing less than a life sentence on those convicted for the second offense. It is not a non violent crime, it takes the lives of addicts, leaving nothing but an empty shell with no hope once addicted.