Pubdate: Sun, 04 Jan 2015
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Author: Emile Therien
Page: 13
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor.

DRUG WAR

Re "Gunning for solutions" (Tony Spears, Jan. 2): The drug trade is 
perpetuating this violence and cruelty that is simply mind-boggling 
and unprecedented. The futile war on drugs simply cannot be won. Why 
we continue to defy and ignore more than 100 years of failed 
prohibition is simply mind-boggling, counter-productive, and 
irresponsible. Prohibition, as history shows, whether it be for 
alcohol or illegal drugs fuels violent crime, including the lucrative 
gun trade. It's easily argued with certainty that law enforcement, in 
and by itself, simply does not, nor has ever reduced or dried up the 
supply of illegal drugs. Illicit drugs have been with us forever and 
will be with us long into the future. The so-called war on drugs, at 
an outrageous economic, social and human cost in this country and the 
world over, will simply not stop the demand for and use of illegal 
drugs. Often overlooked is the fact that the lucrative drug trade 
distorts economic realities in countries the wor! ld over. It is 
easily argued that the financial benefits of legalizing illicit drugs 
are huge. It is now, as experts argue, time to retreat on the war on 
drugs. Ending it is the moral and politically correct thing to do. I 
agree that with defence lawyer Michael Spratt's that "doubling down 
on failed solutions" does not and has never worked." What we need is 
a strategy that focuses on crime prevention through social 
development! Who is up to this challenge?

Emile Therien

Ottawa

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(We don't think legalizing drugs is the answer)
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom