Pubdate: Tue, 18 Jan 2000
Source: Irish Times (Ireland)
Copyright: 2000 The Irish Times
Section: Letters
Contact:  11-15 D'Olier St, Dublin 2, Ireland
Fax: + 353 1 671 9407
Website: http://www.ireland.com/
Author: Hugh Robertson, Legalise Cannabis Alliance

Drugs And Crime

Sirs, - The execution-style shooting of two young men in Dublin on Monday
evening has been linked to criminal gangs involved in the hard drugs trade.

Ireland shares a problem with many other countries - the profits from
illegal drugs are attractive to ruthless criminal gangs who don't care how
they make their money or who they have to hurt or kill to get it.

Law enforcement around the world has been trying to stop this for decades
now. Billions of pounds, dollars, francs, etc have been thrown into the war
on drugs, all to little or no effect. One dealer gets arrested, and another
steps into his or her place - the deterrent effect of the law means nothing
when compared to the vast profits to be made from hard drugs.

It is obvious to many people that prohibition is not the answer to stopping
the trade but if it is not stopped there will be many more lives lost. -
Yours, etc.,

Hugh Robertson,
Legalise Cannabis Alliance,
Norwich,
Norfolk,
England
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