Good historical info on drug involvement by the Outit, et al. Tip of the hat to you for researching and sharing.

A couple of things to emphasize: if caught dealing drugs, you better have a reputation as a "stand-up" guy or your chances of survival may be slim, depending on the drug and charges. You point this out very well. Deal but don't get caught.

The structure was such that the top echelon guys were well insulated......obviously. The junk crews did the dirty work and took the chances. You covered it.

Another problem was the distribution of drugs was almost impossible to control. The Junk Crews were prone to keeping a little extra for themselves and this led to problems with personal use and how to effectively deal with such matters. Many associates were killed,but killing brought heat, and even though the Outfit operated with impunity, it was still a problem because so many people had their hands in the drug trade.

Increased law enforcement was another problem. As time progressed, law enforcement improved and more arrests were made. Also, as you pointed out, many of these guys were not the tough Outfit members of times past. When busted, there were only two choices: inform or go to jail. Many of these individuals were addicts and would "roll" in a heartbeat. Many times law enforcement would threaten them with simply saying "you can always make bail and go back out on the street." Of course this was intended to instill fear in the individual because he knew darn well he would be killed. The choices were limited, the risks were high, and the problems were many. You also mentioned this and it was a tactic used all over the country.

The profits from drugs keep OC involved. I don't know how much the Outft is involved today. I would think gangs have pretty much taken over the drug business and the Outfit is pretty much powerless to deal with gangs, or maybe not interested. Still, I imagine there is some direct or indirect involvement by the Outfit.

Cocaine became epidemic during the 80's, maybe earlier. I would think there are numerous independent cocaine dealers; maybe small groups of 4-5 people in various places throughout the city who continue in the cocaine business. No doubt larger groups are also involved in cocaine distribution.

Prescription medication is another huge problem.

I better stop rambling. Great article, Toidoped.