Pubdate: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 Source: Medicine Hat News (CN AB) Copyright: 2005 Alberta Newspaper Group, Inc. Contact: http://www.medicinehatnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1833 Author: Devin Olmstead SAY NO TO TIGHTER DRUG LAWS I would like to express my condolences to the families and friends of the four slain officers. Their deaths were premature, tragic and unnecessary. I have heard many calls from many sources requesting tighter drug laws. The people who are asking for this do not understand the consequences of what they are asking. We only have to look south to see what a dismal failure tight drug laws have been. Drug laws are not a deterrent as evidenced by the facts use and trafficking being more prevalent than ever. There is a clear correlation between tighter drug laws and more traffic and use. Drug laws do not stop the flow of drugs. They create a torrent and do nothing but make a bad situation worse. People will obtain and use drugs regardless of enacted laws. The harsher the sentence the more risk in trafficking drugs. This means the street prices go up and traffickers will go to greater lengths to protect their source of wealth and not get caught. Users will be afraid to seek treatment for fear of prosecution. Along with increased cost to the users comes an increase in crimes perpetrated against the general public to support their unnecessarily expensive habits. The most violent gangs will only become richer and stronger. These facts are obvious to many and result in a divide between the police and the public. In some, this can manifest as a hatred for the police. The result of this hatred is obvious. We have nothing to gain by waging our own drug war. Where we can make gains is in educating the public and our children about the dangers and effects of drug abuse. Instead of being adversaries perhaps a better approach would be to unite in a common goal: make our streets safer and bring back a friendship and respect for the police that has been at best diminished and at worst lost. Canada should work towards freeing addicts from their addictions. Reducing the supply is not necessary. Short of stupidity or insanity why stay a clearly detrimental and ineffective course. Devin Olmstead Medicine Hat - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake