Pubdate: Mon, 05 Oct 2009
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Herb Couch

ORGANIZED CRIME THE ONLY WINNER IN WAR ON DRUGS

Re: 'Huge Victoria drug bust turns up Nanaimo connection' (Daily News, Oct. 2)

Victoria police describe the recent drug bust as "Victoria's largest-ever 
drug bust." There is even a Nanaimo connection. Will the police and the 
media be equally impressed when this bust is, inevitably, eclipsed by the 
next record-breaking drug bust? When you look at the big picture, this bust 
does not represent a huge bite out of crime. It's more like a small 
insignificant nibble.

The fact that the record was broken is not really something to be proud of 
and celebrated. Instead, it serves as a sobering illustration of how the 
law enforcement approach to reducing the supply of drugs has been an abject 
failure.

Organized criminals rely on the hugely inflated profits created by drug 
prohibition for the majority of their revenue, so they are big fans of the 
"tough on drugs" approach of the Conservative government.

As a country, we need to end the society-destroying policy of drug 
prohibition. The longer we delay, the deeper the tentacles of organized 
crime will spread.

Herb Couch

Nelson
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D