What's the main incentive for drug dealing?

[Pizzly]

I often hear that prohibition increases the price of drugs, and for those individuals willing to burden the risk they get a good payout. I'm not sure this is correct, few drug dealers earn much more than minimum wage. Isn't the biggest incentive that the sellers enjoy the drugs they produce and sell?

[Diogenes The Cynic]

The product has a high markup, because its basically a plant thats largely untreated, or some combination of chemicals that can be made anywhere without any supervision.

According to the book Freakonomics, the reason these guys work at drug sales is to work up the corporate ladder of drug sales, and be the main distributor in their area.

[Fred]

for the money, why does anyone sell anything?

[Cognitive Dissident]

You're right.  It's not usually the dealer making all that money.  He's a pawn.  There is a "kingpin" making a lot of money, though.  He's also usually a violent mofo, and he wouldn't exist or would have to try his hand at real crime if the drug war ended.  FWIW, a lot of pot dealers do in fact enjoy the drugs they sell.  I think they sell to pay for their habits.