MEXICO CITY: Conservative Mexican ex-president Vicente Fox has spoken out in favor of legalizing the production, sale and distribution of illegal drugs, as his country sinks ever deeper into bloody drug wars.

"What has to be made legal are the production, sale and distribution" of illegal drugs Fox, a former Coca Cola executive, wrote in his weekly blog, after years at the helm of a government cooperating with the United States "war on drugs."

Just since 2006, more than 28,000 people have been killed in deepening violence and drug gangs and mafias battle for control of shipment routes mainly to the lucrative US market.

"We`ve got to see it (legalization) as a strategy to fight back and break the economic streucture that enables cartels to earn such tremendous profits," argued Fox, a member of the National Action Party (PAN) of current President Felipe Calderon.

In his blog Fox said high taxes should be charged that would be used to help people in treatment for their drug addictions.

BDST: 0937 HRS, August 10, 2010