Pubdate: Thu, 19 Jan 2012
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: William Perry

ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS ARE FAILING IN DRUG BATTLE

Re: "'Nanaimo RCMP link huge drug bust to notorious gang' ( Daily 
News, Jan. 18)

The Canadian and B.C. governments claim to be making ground in the 
war on drugs, but a quick look at the estimates of regional cocaine 
flows suggests this is only a fraction of the amount which passes 
through America into this country. These so-called drug busts are 
heralded as a trophies in the struggle which authorities are waging 
against drug trafficking.

Such self-congratulatory acts may not be entirely warranted. If the 
percentage of seizures are applied to the United Nations Office on 
Drugs and the RCMP'S crime estimates that some 165 metric tonnes of 
cocaine is consumed in North America annually, it could mean around 
143.55 tonnes of the drug pass into the U.S. and Canada annually.

The claims thus represent a drop in an Olympic size swimming pool of 
cocaine and has only worsened in recent years.

This is unlikely to change in the future, as the governments are 
notoriously in denial. Maybe it is time for a re-think?

William Perry

Victoria
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom