Pubdate: Mon, 17 Jul 2000
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2000 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  1355 Mountain Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 3B6
Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Author: Craig Schroer

CANDOR ABOUT DRUG POLICY REFRESHING

Thanks are due to Crown attorney Bob Morrison for so succinctly
placing murky legal proceedings in their proper context (Agitated Crown
defends gang trial," Free Press, July 11). I refer to his statement
that, "Without cocaine trafficing, the (Manitoba) Warriors simply
would not have existed." Such candor about the "make work" policy
- --for both criminals and cops-- is truly refreshing. However it
doesn't do justice to the whole story.

According to the United Nations, illegal drug trafficking is amoung
the top five world commodity markets. One shudders to think of the
economic fallout and the market realignments that would accompany any
move to take the profit out of drug trafficiking. Subsidizing
organized crime and their law enforcement counterparts is worth every
penny so long as it ensures the stability of international markets and
creates jobs at home.

Craig Schroer, Austin Texas
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens