Pubdate: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 Source: Maple Ridge News (CN BC) Copyright: 2002 Maple Ridge News Contact: http://www.mapleridgenews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1328 Authors: Wayne Phillips, Harry D. Fisher Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1067/a07.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1058/a12.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) DRUG WAR CONTINUES, MOSTLY ON MARIJUANA Editor, The News: Re: Junkie's blues (News Views, June 5) There's a hole in Daddy's arm where all the money goes. And that's all the more reason to stress the need for adequate needle exchange programs, and how this is of such critical importance to any community. No city can afford to be underfunding or, in any way diminishing this aspect of harm reduction. Being especially cognizant of this is critical in light of the fact that Vancouver set WORLD records for drug-overdose deaths, HIV and hepatitis C infections. Of primary importance is the dire need for all levels of government to go beyond considering alternatives and making only token gestures to actually start implementing holistic programs that work. If that means less monies for law enforcement and, substantially more into 'harm reduction' programs, so be it. If it means legitimizing cannabis and using any revenue garnered from that, so be it. Cannabis, doesn't spread HIV or cause cirrhosis of the liver, nor does it ravage the body or give rise to violent crime. In that the RCMP's Drug Situation in Canada Report for 2001 states that heroin seizures were down by more than half from 2000 yet cannabis seizures increased, is there any wonder as to why Vancouver set world records for drug-overdose deaths, HIV and hepatitis C infections? This doesn't even begin to figure cocaine and crack into the equation. Wayne Phillips, Hamilton, Ontario ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'Prison State' in U.S. Editor, The News: Re: Needle and the damage done (letters, June 5). The reason that Laurie Geschke hangs out the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany as "bad" examples in the drug war, and Sweden as a model of prohibition, is that she longs for that perfect society where there are no drugs, including the ones that are legal now. But the reality is that drugs are everywhere. However, some countries deal with their drug situation without building a prison state and the last time anyone looked, the three "bad" countries are doing fine, but with fewer people in prison. Clearly, they have not been destroyed by their intelligent and humane drug policies. In spite of all the crocodile tears about impressionable youth and lessened productivity, the war on drugs is ruled by the bottom line. The cops, the lawyers, judges, jailers, drug testing companies, prison suppliers, virtually all within reach help themselves to the never-ending torrent of tax money, shoveled out by the government as it pursues its failed drug policy like an out-of-control train. While drug warriors like Geschke are fond of talking about heroin, cocaine, and AIDS, they avoid the fact that the war on drugs is primarily a war on marijuana. Last year there were about 800,000 marijuana arrests in the U.S., and that's where the money is. Sure, every so often the cops bust a cartel and seize a ton of cocaine, but that doesn't mean money because they can't sell it. The money is in the small day-to-day pot busts with the pleadings and the fines, the forfeitures, apart from the cost of the defence. As the offender loses property and pays through the nose, everybody gets paid again: the cops, the informers, the lawyers, shrinks and counselors, court clerks, and hordes of others. And all this supposedly for that person's own good! What an racket! No wonder it's so hard to kill this drug war snake. It has a lot of hangers-on. Harry D. Fisher Woodland Hills, California - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager