CANADA - US - Time to reconsider political response to drugs

OFF THE WIRE
 Pat Leibel
 bclocalnews.com
Recent events such as the gang murder in Kelowna, biker turf wars in Quebec and Ontario, and numerous other gang activities and criminal organizations of every type can only be expected to increase as gangs increase their wealth and use it to corrupt officials to further extend the tentacles of their criminal enterprises.


It should come as a surprise to nobody, that the myriad of other drugs finding their way into society via criminal organizations have, at their roots, the prohibition of cannabis. Poorly educated people from rural areas lacking in both wealth and employment become willing growers of this fast growing plant, and a secret asset and employer to impoverished communities, where easy money is a significant incitement.


In this way, cocaine and heroin finds their way into your little community. In this way, crystal methadone and various other hard drugs find their way into your community.


The average Joe, who would have initially been happy with a few tokes, is instead presented with a smorgasbord, complete with unscrupulous dealers who encourage the use of more profitable and addictive drugs, thereby creating the return customers who will stop at nothing to obtain the money needed to feed the addiction that hard drugs create.


I’m most certainly not advocating the legalization of all drugs, though I believe the money wasted on control would be better spent on education. Marijuana is not a narcotic, and never has been, except politically – yet another sorry example of politics trumping science.


Sever the conduit that organized crime depends upon to infiltrate their hard drugs into every community where prohibition exists, and you sever the head of the beast.


Why do our politicians seem so intent on ignoring this reality? Burying one’s head in the sand accomplishes nothing.


Pat Leibel


Kamloops