Pubdate: Fri, 09 Apr 2010 Source: Langley Advance (CN BC) Copyright: 2010 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc. Contact: http://www.langleyadvance.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1248 Author: Bryanna Anderson Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n227/a04.html LEGALIZATION NOT THE ANSWER Dear Editor, Russell Barth's argument to legalize and regulate drugs [Drugs: Legalizing would stop gangs, March 26 Letters, www.langleyadvance.com] is one that many should find offensive. He believes that the police do not want to legalize drugs because that would result in budget cuts and layoffs. Unlike Barth, I do not believe all police men and women are trying to trick the public into giving them money by making us believe that "crime is a bigger issue than it is." For the most part, I know the police are out there doing the best they can to protect the citizens of our cities, and accusing our brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, aunts, and uncles of perceiving crime as a threat in order to keep their jobs and acquire more money for "powers of intrusion and coercion" is insulting. Legalizing drugs and selling them in coffee shops, with the "harder drugs being sold in pharmacies and clinics, and discreet brothels to get the prostitution off the streets and reduce slavery" would be sending out the wrong message to children. Although I agree with the many cases made to promote the legalization of marijuana, I feel it is less than necessary to legalize the harder, more harmful drugs. Allowing hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin to be sold in pharmacies and clinics is criminal. Because of the easy addiction to these drugs, opening them up to the general public as accepted substances would cause an increase in the number of addicts living in our community. Many of the adverse health effects of the hard drugs are widely known, as many are taught in high schools. Especially after the education the children and teenagers receive, legalizing drugs would give them contradicting views. For the most part, the only crime that would be reduced are the ones specifically associated with drug use, such as trafficking and dealing. While drugs like marijuana generally need a large space to be produced, others such as crystal meth only need a small space, such as a kitchen, using household chemicals in the formation of the drug. There are way too many drugs that are used recreationally to be first recognized and then legalized. It is very unlikely that legalizing drugs would solve or reduce crime, considering many legal drugs sold in pharmacies are being re-distributed illegally. They will still have drugs to distribute and fight over, especially if the currently illegal drugs are heavily taxed, leaving many poor and addicted people to find cheaper means (the gangs) to acquire their drugs. In the off chance it would reduce gang activity, it would still have many unfavourable circumstances. Bryanna Anderson, Langley - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D