Pubdate: Tue, 09 Apr 2013
Source: SouthtownStar (Tinley Park, IL)
Copyright: 2013 Digital Chicago, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.southtownstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4719
Author: James E. Gierach

FOCUS ON DRUGS AS WELL AS GUNS

While the U.S. Senate considers background-check legislation as a
means to stop gun violence, it should also do a background check on
the war on drugs. The two unrelated deaths of youngsters reported in
the Chicago newspapers last week were beyond the reach of gun control
but were within the reach of a better drug policy.

Brian Carrick, 17, died from a single punch triggered by his failure
to pay a small drug debt in 2002 in McHenry County, according to
testimony in the trial of his attacker.

And 14-year-old Depree Mims died last month in his Merrillville,
Ind., home of a single bullet wound, a shot allegedly fired in
retaliation for a robbery during a drug transaction - with the robbery
victim apparently mistaken as to the residence where the robber lived,
police said. Drug prohibition and the huge illegal profits it produces
are the reasons why so many guns are being fired and so many killings
are occurring. We need to take the profit out of drugs to get rid of
much of the crime on our streets and the taxes (to pay for more
prisons, police, courts and violence-related medical care) that are
breaking our backs.

James E. Gierach

Palos Park