Pubdate: Mon, 31 Oct 2005
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2005 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Dan Donahue

ELIMINATE MARKETS

LET me get this straight: We have a gang problem that in large part 
derives its income from both marijuana grow operations and 
prostitution. Both seem to engage as first line providers, the most 
vulnerable amongst us and yet the cure-all eminating from our 
political leaders and police forces suggests that greater law 
enforcement will bail us out of this sad reality.

In truth it's been 40 years of trying to stem the marijuana trade and 
at least 50 times that in trying to eradicate prostitution. After all 
this time perhaps we ought to admit these so-called problems will 
never disappear from our social landscape. As long as we criminalize 
them, there will always be a lucrative and unregulated market for 
them which is for the most part, providing organized crime with a 
guaranteed money flow with which their empires can easily expand into 
other arenas. And we are in fact sanctioning that process by a 
continual refusal to deal with these matters with any semblance of 
maturity and honesty.

If we sincerely wish to tackle the scourge of these criminals, then 
remove the means by which they support their trade. Greater law 
enforcement will not work. It will do nothing to remove the root 
causes of gang existence and in the end will simply provide us with a 
false sense of security while providing lovely photo ops for those 
charged with maintaining civility in our society. This problem did 
not come to bear because we don't have tough enough law enforcement 
and/or deterrents. It exists because for whatever reasons, we live in 
a society of marginalized souls who become easy prey to the darker 
side of life.

Enough of the moral pep talks and let's begin an open dialogue as to 
what we need to accomplish in hopes that we are able to respond to 
the situation in a manner that will actually spawn results.

It's time to legalize both marijuana possession and prostitution, 
regulate them and begin the process of eliminating organized crimes 
most lucrative markets. It's far from a perfect answer to the problem 
but it certainly beats anything I'm hearing from our leaders.

DAN DONAHUE

Winnipeg
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman