Pubdate: Thu, 05 Apr 2007
Source: Gazette, The (London, CN ON Edu)
Copyright: 2007 The Gazette
Contact:  http://www.gazette.uwo.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2548
Author: Stephanie Pemberton
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

UWO DRUG DEALERS

The Gazette Talks To Campus Drug Dealers About What They're Moving 
And How Much Money They're Raking In

Jim* is a fourth-year engineering student at Western  who has sold 
drugs for the past four years. He makes  approximately $50,000 per 
year, with about 40 per cent  of his revenue coming from marijuana 
sales and the  remaining 60 per cent coming from drugs like cocaine 
and ecstasy.

Roughly one per cent of Canadians use cannabis daily,  approximately 
three per cent use it weekly and almost  four per cent smoke once or 
more weekly.

In 2002, roughly three million Canadians aged 15 or  older admitted 
to using cannabis at least once in the  last year.

Jim sells around 32 pounds of marijuana a month,  retailing between 
$1,800 to $2,500, depending on  fluctuations in supply and demand.

Jim doesn't feel bad about selling to people dependent  on drugs.

"As long as the world continues to sell dreams and  hopes to people 
and as long as those dreams will never  be realized, people will use 
drugs," Jim says.

Despite its illegal status, an estimated 30 per cent of  Canadians 
have used marijuana at least once. The  growing number of marijuana 
users has spawned a large  underground market.

Jim says his business is lucrative because the trade's  high-risk 
nature reduces competition.

Since decriminalization would let the government  regulate marijuana 
sales and provide it revenue, Jim  believes decriminalization would 
hurt his profits.

Dr. Evelyn Vingilis, a professor in the Department of  Family 
Medicine at Western, said it's an interesting  coincidence marijuana 
consumption has increased since  the government started considering 
decriminalization.

In recent decades, many people have spoken in favour of 
decriminalization, which is the reduction or removal of  marijuana's 
criminal status while retaining other forms  of non-criminal regulation.

However, Jim is confident decriminalization will never happen.

"By keeping drugs illegal, law enforcement agents are  investing in 
themselves and their own growth," Jim  says. "If everything is legal 
you wouldn't need half  the number of police out there.

"The amount of money spent on drug investigation is  highly misallocated."

Dominic Cramer, president of the Toronto Hemp Company,  agrees. He 
believes prohibiting marijuana causes far  more problems and harm 
than marijuana use ever could.

Cramer feels decriminalization would give state  officials more 
control over a market they currently  have no control over, making it 
easier for them to keep  marijuana away from children and prevent 
people from  driving under the influence.

"[These are] things that we should really be caring  about," Cramer says.

Constable Dan O'Reilly of the London Police Service  disagrees. He 
believes the level of police work needed  in marijuana investigations 
wouldn't decrease if it was  decriminalized or legalized.

"Marijuana isn't the issue that we, as police, face,"  O'Reilly says.

Theft, robbery and other crimes are the bigger  problems, as people 
tend to commit them to support  their addictions, he adds.

Marijuana consumption is probably the drug being  consumed the most 
in London, Constable O'Reilly says,  but he adds cocaine and 
crack-cocaine use is  increasing.

But what about drugs that help you study?

Bob*, a fourth-year psychology student, also deals  drugs on campus. 
He sells Dexadrine (DEX) and Ritalin,  drugs commonly used by people 
who suffer from attention  deficit hyperactivity disorder.

He says the main difference between the two is that  Ritalin's 
effects last six hours while DEX's can last  for up to 12 hours.

He buys DEX pills for around $3 each and sells them for  $10 or $15 
- -- sometimes even $20 per pill during exams.

He says DEX helps him retain everything he studies and  using it has 
improved his grades significantly.

Bob describes using DEX as being "in a tunnel and  nothing else matters."

"I did not move; I sat there for four hours and  actually enjoyed 
doing work," he adds.

Although the drug is only obtainable by prescription,  Bob buys his 
supply while on vacation in countries  where he can get these drugs 
illegally without  prescription.

He's also supplied by people who have prescriptions. He  says some 
people will trade their DEX for other drugs  like marijuana.

Bob says the drug is in high demand because it's so effective.

"One guy always wants all the DEX and doesn't want  anyone else to 
have it and get an advantage over him,"  Bob says.

Taking one DEX isn't detrimental, says Dr. Michael  Reider, head of 
the clinic of pharmacology at Western's  children's hospital.

However, Reider says there are risks associated with  taking large 
amounts, which students using it for an  academic advantage likely 
do. He says it fuels  metabolic engines and increases one's heart 
rate, adding constant use can have damaging long-term effects  on the heart.

Also, statistics show mental health problems often  co-exist with 
substance dependence. The Canadian  Community Health Survey (CCHS) 
found 15 per cent of  alcohol-dependent people had suffered from 
depression  recently. For people dependent on illicit drugs, the 
prevalence of depression was 26 per cent.

According to the CCHS, the exact relationship between  substance 
abuse and mental illness is unclear. The  study said mental disorders 
may promote or sustain  substance dependence and substance use may 
exacerbate  mental disorders.

Betty* is a third-year business and management studies  student who 
smokes roughly five grams of marijuana  every day.

Betty says she smokes "because it gets me high and  relaxes me."

"[Marijuana is] kind of like my Prozac," she says.  "When I'm not 
high, I'm high-strung and bitchy."

Betty admits she relies on the drug to keep her happy,  but she 
firmly believes that's "all that matters."

*For legal reasons, some names have been changed.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman