I live in Monterrey , México, The city go on, but the people is full of fear, that fear that no one could take, neither the police or the military, we just live our lives avoiding conflictive zones and trying to handle it.
Specially in this city the people have some guilty of part of it, we have a sense of "work if you want something" that idea come from our founders, but the lack of education, lack of tv content (here is very important), there is a extreme sense of religion in the zone that's other factor many of them don't try to understand why are in that way, just live their empty life's having beer and roast meat, watching soccer...
Is hard to tell how, but I think the problem is beyond the drugs is social, cultural and political, all of that combine did the big problem we have.
I can imagine that the socio-economic issues around the cartels in Mexico are much like the issues with inner-city gangs in the US: They provide a feeling of "belonging" for groups of people who haven't felt that; and they provide a possibility of being lifted out of the poor masses. Of course, your life is on the line, but if one's quality of life is poor enough, that may not be much of a consideration.
I agree that, even if the drug factor completely disappeared, it is unlikely the problems would disappear. On the other hand, having huge amounts of drug money flowing through can only massively exacerbate the problem.
Is hard to tell how, but I think the problem is beyond the drugs is social, cultural and political, all of that combine did the big problem we have.