Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jul 2002
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002, Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://www.fyiottawa.com/ottsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Author: Alan Reiner
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1317/a08.html
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor; headline by newshawk

DRUG LAWS ARE THE CASH CROP OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

Re "Hash profits to terrorists: Cops," (July 15): The recent claim by the 
RCMP that hashish is supporting terrorism is misguided. It may be true that 
hashish supports terrorism, but there's a very specific reason for it -- 
because it is illegal.

Hashish, a concentrated form of marijuana, is only as expensive as it is 
because it is illegal. Black market factors drive up the price of illegal 
drugs thousands of percent so that the profits made by selling it are far 
more than for any legitimate business. On the other hand, if a country were 
to regulate hashish, the profits from selling it would plummet so that it 
would be no more lucrative than selling potatoes. Then, the nation would 
have enough control over the drug trade to boycott Afghan hash.

I'm not surprised that the RCMP made such a statement about hashish, since 
drug laws are the cash crop of law enforcement. With the rapid movement in 
Europe to loosen drug laws, likely to spread to Canada, the RCMP is seeing 
their funding at risk.

What the RCMP did not mention in their statement about terrorism is that 
anyone who buys gasoline, is in fact, supporting terrorism. Canada can get 
their drugs from other sources, but they still have to get their crude oil 
from terrorists like Saddam Hussein.

Alan Reiner

Arlington, VA

(The Middle East isn't the only source of oil in the world, but point taken)
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens