In the mob's infancy, bootlegging was the primary racket. Alcohol is "drugs", and it was illegal then, which made it an illegal drug, just like cocaine or heroin. Exchange booze with the drugs of modern day and you have your parallels between the mob and the cartels.
Cocaine and heroin have been illegal for over 100 years. What makes you think this is going to happen now all of a sudden?
"I die outside; I die in jail. It don't matter to me," -John Franzese
