Drug war no longer a growth industry in Texas?

Thanks to Texas Monthly editor Evan Smith for forwarding the link to the free media preview of Nate Blakeslee's September feature about Tulia-style Texas drug task forces, aptly titled "The War on Thugs." You should read the whole thing yourself, but I HAVE to preserve this quote from his lede:

Over the past four years, close to a quarter of all narcs in Texas have been laid off, victims of a severe contraction in the state’s biggest anti-drug bureaucracy. Even more cuts may be on the way, depending on the outcome of a budget fight currently going on in Washington, D.C. The writing on the wall is easy to read: After almost two decades of lavish funding, the drug war is no longer a growth industry in Texas.

No longer a growth industry? In Texas?! How's that for a turning point? Don't stick around here any longer: Go read the rest. Good stuff, Nate, and good luck with your book on Tulia coming out this fall. Also, kudos to Evan Smith, who does as good a job as any editor I know promoting TM's stuff in the blogosphere.