Pubdate: Tue, 10 Jan 2006
Source: Nelson Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Nelson Daily News
Contact:  http://www.nelsondailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/288
Author: Paul Willcocks
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

TO SOLVE THE GUN PROBLEM, OVERHAUL OUR DRUG POLICY

Politicians can get as tough as they want on guns, but if that's the 
primary approach by our leaders then the killings are going to continue

The Conservatives, Liberals and New Democrats are falling all over 
themselves to get tough on gun crime. And both parties are missing 
the real problem.

To deal with guns, you have to deal with gangs. And to deal with 
gangs, you need to make the drug trade less profitable. Nothing that 
has been proposed by the parties will do that.

Despite the Boxing Day killing in Toronto and several gang shootings 
in Vancouver, the rate of gun deaths has steadily declined over the 
last 20 years. When the final numbers are in, forest industry 
accidents in B.C.will likely have claimed more people than gun 
violence in 2005.

But the concern is legitimate. Gun deaths are down across Canada, but 
in centres like Toronto and Vancouver they are rising. There were 
likely about 100 murders in B.C. this year - the numbers are still 
being tallied - with three-quarters in the Lower Mainland. Vancouver 
police report they are dealing with about six per cent more gun 
incidents each year.

Without effective action, the problem will spill into Victoria and 
Kelowna and Prince George.

Guns aren't a problem across the urban centres. In Vancouver, young 
IndoCanadian men have been doing much of the shooting, and dying. In 
Toronto, it is young black men. The common link is an involvement in 
gangs. That's who has the guns, police say, gang members and wannabes.

The Conservatives propose longer mandatory minimum sentences, an end 
to early parole release and more police. The increased policing, if 
targeted, will help. The other measures are costly and largely ineffective.

That didn't stop the Liberals from joining the 'get-tough' bandwagon 
this week. (We're no soft Pollyannas, Justice Minister Irwin Cotler 
proclaimed this week as the party flip-flopped on mandatory minimum 
sentences.) This kind of talk may be good politics, but it's lousy policy.

The people who drive into a neighbourhood and spray a house with 
bullets already risk serious jail time. They are not given to 
assessing consequences, so longer prison terms aren't going to make 
much difference.

The priority in tackling the gun problem should be eliminating gangs, 
or at least reducing their power and allure.

And without the big profits from drugs, the gangs could not exist.

Young men may still hang around together, and do crime. But without 
the drug money, they would be a nuisance, not a threat. (The deadly 
Boxing Day gunfight in Toronto was reportedly over drug turf.)

Prohibition in the U.S. created Al Capone and his rivals, who turned 
streets into war zones over the big profits. We're creating the same 
kind of problem with our drug policies.

People who need and want an illegal drug - alcohol, heroin, marijuana 
- - will get it. Criminals will take advantage of the opportunity to 
supply the market; the more difficult it becomes, the higher the 
prices and the more profitable the business.

The theory that aggressive enforcement can drive suppliers from the 
market has been proven wrong. Drug enforcement efforts have cost 
Canadians more than $2 billion over the last five years. And illegal 
drugs are easier to get, stronger and cheaper than ever. Attacking 
the supply has failed over decades, in many countries.

Instead governments should be tackling the demand side. Effective 
education to reduce the number of young people starting drugs. A 
massive investment in detox and treatment and support so people can 
quit, and stay off.

And legalization in various forms to end the hunt for drugs and money 
that consumes many addicts, and rob the gangs of their profits. 
Provide controlled heroin supplies and addicts can stabilize their 
lives, while gangs lose billions in profits that fund their 
enterprise. Allow possession of a dozen marijuana plants, and 
gang-run grow ops lose their domestic market.

The drug trade drives this problem. It's the reason gangs can form 
and thrive, and they're responsible for the rise in gun crime. After 
years of failure, surely it's time for politicians to start talking 
about an approach that could actually work.

Footnote: Switzerland conducted a widely reported experiment in which 
1,100 addicts received free heroin. During the test there was a 
massive reduction in criminal activity by the drug users and an 
increase in employment -- and not one overdose death. More than 80 
people quit drugs while using free legal heroin.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom