Pubdate: Sat, 08 Apr 2006
Source: Robson Valley Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Miro International Pty Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.robsonvalleytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4087
Author: Andru McCracken

I HAVE A DRUG PROBLEM AND SO DO YOU

It's true. I don't take drugs, I don't smoke, snort, sniff, inject or
swill contraband, but in spite of all that, I have a drug problem.

Drugs are in my community. They are in Valemount and they are in
McBride.

Last week in Valemount a man fired bullets into a mobile home in
Hartman Trailer Court. We probably have drugs to thank that he never
hit anybody, but it's not a stretch to assume that drugs were the
motivation for the shooting.

Some innocent could have been killed.

It's always been my attitude not to pry into other people's lives. As
far as I'm concerned, adults are allowed to carve out their own little
piece of hell on earth.

It's only when their idiocy affects children, the community and the
greater public good, we ought to take a stand.

What I can't understand is why we give drug dealers a livelihood? Why
should society pay to make these sleaze bags rich?

The war on drugs in the valley has to have two fronts. The first and
most important front is a collaborative push for alternatives to
addictions and escapism. The valley needs to come together to help
keep kids off drugs.

Secondly, we need to consider legalizing some of this stuff.

As long as police are there to enforce drug law, dealers will always
find a way to make money.

The war on drugs cannot be won. What is the good of it?

Legal or not, we've got work to do

I showed up at Cranberry Lake one summery afternoon last year and
noticed that the 13 year-olds had their own cooler. Who is bootlegging
for these kids?

We live in one of the nicest places on the planet. It's a shame that
the best we can do is to teach these kids to escape it.

Do we really have to have 15 year old kids at the bush parties? Is it
really necessary for everyone from Susie, the ninth grader, to shifty
Uncle Willy, the 53-year-old vagrant, to be there?

Of all the things you have to offer to the youth of today, sage
advice, stories of yesterday, how to hit a bull's eye at 10 yards with
an axe; don't bother showing kids how to shotgun a Budweiser in 8
seconds or how to turn a Coke can into a crack pipe.

Given the state of things, they'll learn that soon enough on their
own.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Lawrence Seguin