Drug dealers now face a real imminent threat of death from competitors. If that doesn't deter them, nothing the government can do will deter them.
This was not addressed to me, but I feel compelled to put my two cents in.
God promises that the death penalty is a reliable deterrent:
"So you shall put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear and fear, and no longer act presumptuously." Deut. 17:12-13
Yet, the death penalty as executed through American courts is not much of a deterrent. Wise King Solomon 2,900 years ago explained why this is so:
Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Eccl. 8:11
When a murderer is executed, three appeals and 12 years after his crime, society has largely forgotten about him. His death has almost no deterrent effect on crime. Further, a life sentence cannot be executed speedily. The swift death penalty deters crime and aids evangelism. Thus Christians, in obedience to God, should support the death penalty.
You are quick to point out that potential death is a factor in the drug world now and that is not a deterent. If they know they would only last a week it WOULD, be a great deterent.
Following the Bible's rule of thumb, a swift execution would be a great deterent towards drug sellers.
Low OiL