Pubdate: Tue, 21 Dec 2010 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2010 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n1039/a10.html Author: Jim Baxter PROHIBITION OF DRUGS WILL NEVER GET RID OF GANGS Re: It's time to bite the bullet on gang and drug problems, Column, Dec. 17 The article by Daphne Bramham about gangs misses the mark entirely. The root cause of gang violence is not young people joining or the lure of excitement. We know from long experience that cracking down on one gang simply creates a vacuum for another one to move in. This is precisely what is happening now. The root cause of gang violence is the demand for illegal drugs. And it is not even the drugs that are the problem, it is addiction. Addiction is a mental illness. Why do we treat mental illness with the criminal code? Addiction cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Endless studies show that regulating drugs (not legalizing but regulating) results in lower demand, lower poverty, lower crime and lower violence. Regulating drugs gets rid of gangs. Prohibition does not. Talking to school kids does not. Jim Baxter New Westminster - --- MAP posted-by: Matt