Pubdate: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 Source: Herald-Dispatch, The (Huntington, WV) Copyright: 2005 The Herald-Dispatch Contact: http://www.hdonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1454 CONVICTIONS MUST FOLLOW DRUG ARRESTS Drug dealers have abandoned Artisan Avenue in recent months. Or else they've become more discreet. In any event, efforts are under way to crack down on drug dealing in the area. Earlier this month, the Huntington Police Department, the Cabell County Sheriff's Department and the West Virginia State Police netted 19 arrests in Huntington on various drug charges in one night. Arrests are good, but convictions will be better. What is needed most, however, is for the market for illegal drugs to dry up. As long as people buy, someone will sell. It will soon be six months since four teenagers were gunned down in Huntington in what could have been drug-related homicides. We don't know for sure if drugs were involved, but the killings gave the community reason to take back its streets from the dealers. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake