Innocent people are often caught in these fights. They also see their neighborhoods deteriorate as drug users and dealers move in and decent people who can afford to do so move out. But, of course, criminals will not obey gun laws if they are unafraid to commit murder. Calls for gun prohibition, registration, or outright confiscation mount. Our right to self-defense is eviscerated over what started out as an attempt to control drugs.
Drug dealers grow fantastically wealthy and powerful.
They bribe, corrupt, or murder law officers and politicians both locally and internationally to maintain their dominance. The State does not like illicit money gaining respectability. It requires individuals who have never taken recreational drugs in their life to declare when they take out or bring in certain amounts of money from the country. This fails to deter the suppliers. The State then requires banks to report deposits of a certain amount and to track the monetary habits of their customers.