Pubdate: Wed, 27 Apr 2005 Source: Chatham This Week (CN ON) Copyright: 2005 Chatham This Week Contact: http://www.chathamthisweek.com/contact.php Website: http://www.chathamthisweek.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/719 Author: Russell Barth Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n623.a09.html TIGHTER BORDER NOT A GOOD THING Dear editor: Re: Tighter border has impact on criminals, media told (Chatham This Week, April 13). Just because the media was told that tighter border security is a "good thing," doesn't make it so. These border guards only catch a fraction of what goes through. An $11-million cocaine seizure might be a thrill for the guards and irritate a few drug runners, but it makes no significant impact on the black market. Maybe we should hire thousands of guards, and strip search every single person going either way across the border? Would that be enough? If a border guard is busy stopping people with pot, then that's an increased chance of success for someone moving weapons or explosives or people. By their own admissions, the guards can only catch a fraction of what is getting through, so why should we congratulate them? Congratulations to the border guards for doing your best with what we give you, and only succeeding 15 per cent of the time! Russell Barth Educators For Sensible Drug Policy Ottawa - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin