Pubdate: Sat, 10 Jan 2015
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 Emile Therien
Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/letters.html
Website: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Emile Therien

TIME FOR US TO RETREAT FROM THE WAR ON DRUGS

Re: How Ottawa police are responding to gang violence, Jan. 8.

As mentioned by police Chief Charles Bordeleau, the reality is that
gun violence is being fuelled by the drug trade.

The drug trade is perpetuating this violence and cruelty that is
simply mind-boggling and unprecedented.

The futile war on drugs simply cannot be won. Why we continue to defy
and ignore more than 100 years of failed prohibition is simply
mind-boggling, counterproductive, and irresponsible.

Prohibition, as history shows, be it for alcohol or illegal drugs,
fuels violent crime, including the lucrative gun trade. It is easily
argued that law enforcement, in and by itself, simply does not, nor
has it ever reduced or dried up the supply of illegal drugs. Illicit
drugs have been with us forever.

The so-called war on drugs, at an outrageous economic, social and
human cost in this country and the world over, will simply not stop
the demand for and use of illegal drugs.

It's often overlooked that the lucrative drug trade distorts economic
realities in countries the world over. It is easily argued that the
financial benefits of legalizing illicit drugs are huge. It is time to
retreat on the war on drugs. Ending it is the moral and politically
correct thing to do.

When dealing with gang violence, focusing on failed solutions does not
and has never worked. What we need is a strategy that focuses on crime
prevention through social development, which will not happen overnight.

Emile Therien, Ottawa, public and safety advocate  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D