Pubdate: Fri, 26 Jul 2002
Source: Halifax Herald (CN NS)
Copyright: 2002 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact:  http://www.herald.ns.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180
Author: Bob Ritchie

TANGLED WEB

Dear Editor:

Underworld narcotic cartels make unspeakable billions of dollars in profit, 
with few expenses except for a small percentage to pay lawyers' fees, bail 
and bribery. Much of their profit is spent on luxuries and development.

We, as the public purse, spend hundreds of billions of dollars on policing 
the drug trade, policing theft to purchase drugs, providing health care to 
drug addicts, customs searches, court costs for drug arrests, prison costs 
for the convicted; while the potential luxury money of most Canadians and 
Americans is deducted from our wages and added to our purchase costs, to 
make an attempt to cut back on drug lords' luxuries.

These questions arise: Are we nearing the summit with our war on drugs? Are 
our political soldiers brave enough? Was there ever a war on drugs? Should 
the drug lords, with their enormous global wealth and power, be included as 
members of a G-9?

Bob Ritchie

Wolfville
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MAP posted-by: Beth