A RESPONSE TO ARTICLE BY CPL MACKINNON

Re: Drug Dealers And Organized Crime By Cpl. Keith MacKinnon

Dear Editor

Despite a close working relationship, RCMP CPL MacKinnon seems to
miss the simple logic of the illegal drug business. Perhaps it's a
case of missing the forest for the trees.

He states "Drugs will always be available, as there will always be a
demand." True.

Continuing the prohibition of drugs guarantees organized crime will
dominate the trade in those drugs. As long as the good soldiers of
the failed 'Drug War' like CST MacKinnon chase after an admittedly
unreachable goal (chasing down all the dealers), they ensure the
organized criminals are the ones who will take the risk and make the
huge profits.

Whatever evils a person chooses to ingest, be they chardonnay, Big
Macs, Smirnoff, Oreos, kitchen knives, or BC bud, it is purely a
heath issue. Tens of billions of tax dollars are taken from
childcare, health care, education to pay for the likes of CPL
MacKinnon out chasing down 'a gram of weed'.

By ensuring most drugs are produced and distributed by the wrong
people, in the wrong places and sold with no controls whatsoever.I
feel it's CPL MacKinnon, and those in law enforcement who push for
continued prohibition, are the ones who "don't care about you or your
family, only themselves". Oh, and their budgets too.

D. Landry

Vancouver, BC