I am a Montreal police officer with over 30 years experience on the job, 20 of those years working drug squad and surveillance sections. I also grew up in a poor and tough neighbourhood of Montreal and have seen many people I grew up with ruin their lives because of the consumption of drugs. The views and opinions expressed are my personal ones and not ones necessarily held by the Montreal Police Service. I must say I was simply dumbfounded by the solutions suggested in the letters to the editor titled 'Legalise it' and 'Lost credibility' (The Chronicle, March 8). I think that these people should get out of their office and see the real world to realize the damage the use of illegal drugs are causing, especially to our youth. [continues 239 words]