Yes because you have low income minorities willing to engage in the drug trade and many if not most have served time. Do you really think the gun owners in America will be willing to carry semis knowing it’s a 10 year minimum? After a few thousand get put away, separated from family,friends and bussiness..the message will be loud and clear.
The drug trade exists, and has existed despite nearly 100 years of prohibition, because a very large and diverse segment of the US population wants “recreational” narcotics. This group sees nothing wrong or immoral about owning and using them; just as we see nothing wrong or immoral about owning and using firearms.
This country’s disastrous flirtation with alcohol prohibition proved that the government cannot ban a product when so many of the people see that product’s use socially acceptable behavior. While most people will not risk punishment for something they see as immoral, they are far more willing to take that risk for something they see as acceptable. They did with alcohol, they do with narcotics, and they will with firearms. Thus the War on Alcohol failed, the War on Drugs is failing, and a War on Guns will fail.