TARGET THE DRUG LORDS

The degree to which society and governments have accepted the drug
and crime culture is distressing. The criminal underground economy
must be profound and must have a significant adverse impact on our
taxation base and social net.

What are the causes and effects of the illegal drug industry?

How much of our health costs are related to the use of illegal drugs?
How many murders and other crimes stem from them?

How can criminal acts be linked to those supporting or organizing the
illegal drug business?

When people die of drug overdoses, who is held accountable?

We blame the individual and the police. We blame government for not
having treatment facilities. But we never seem to blame or hold
accountable those who profit most from these activities.

They live in anonymity and are even romanticized.

Some attention is beginning to be paid to this but the importance and
urgency don't seem to motivate society to action.

Until we focus on the criminal leaders and their organizations, the
social housing and other initiatives will not eliminate this cancer,
and will barely mask it.

Jack McGee,

Vancouver Board of Trade