Pubdate: Wed, 11 Aug 2004
Source: Pretoria News, The (South Africa)
Copyright: 2004 The Pretoria News
Contact:  http://www.pretorianews.co.za
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2962
Author: Owen Vorster, DrugAlert

SALUTE THE POLICE FIGHTING DRUGS

Reports of recent massive drug finds by the SA Police Service fill one
with hope once more. Statistics on the escalation of drug abuse among
the youth in South Africa have become more and more alarming of late -
up to 400% increase in the past two years! Drugs are now commonplace
in every school in our country, even in the most remote areas.

Every youngster who attends a rave club, and often even those
attending home parties these days, will definitely have to do with
drugs. Deaths by overdosing, by drug-related accidents or by suicide
are becoming a daily occurrence. But worse still is the tally of those
who are left half-dead, whose health has been destroyed and whose
futures have been compromised - often for ever - even if they do
manage to come off the drugs.

Pathetic personal stories of beautiful young lives that are ruined, of
desperate parents seeking help, and not knowing where to turn, of
families breaking up due to the pressure of the financial and
emotional burden of having a drug

dependent child in the home, of prisons filling up due to drug-related
crimes, of unwanted pregnancies, of Aids running rampant ... the list
is endless.

So we salute the police for sharpening their pencils and their swords,
for taking on the druglords! These druglords are destroying the moral
fibre of our future generation. For money. For lots and lots of money.
So we salute the police, not only for their successes, but for their
ongoing efforts, for their devotion, for their selflessness. We salute
the police for their persistence in the face of risk to themselves and
their families, from the vengeance of a multibillion rand criminal
drug industry which operates without scruples or compassion.

We salute the police for soldiering on despite a shortage of manpower,
despite limited resources and frustrating laws and
limitations.

This is not just a job. This is a calling!

Up the police! We salute you!

Dr Owen Vorster, DrugAlert
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake