CRACK EPIDEMIC CAN'T BE IGNORED

The seizure of $40,000 in crack cocaine and $14,000 in cash from a man
in Massena drug task force investigators believe is one of the North
Country's biggest crack dealers underscores the epidemic that the
region has faced in recent years.

Over the past decade communities across the North Country have seen a
growing number of people charged with crack cocaine possession.

During that same period, the numbers of crack users arrested for
theft, burglaries and more serious crimes has skyrocketed with many
linked to more serious crimes.

An alarming number of drug crimes have become linked to violent crimes
as drug dealers have gone looking for clients that owe them money.

Vicious beatings, even kidnappings and over the past few years murders
have been linked to drug dealers.

In St. Lawrence County Court this week, the county's attention will be
riveted on the drug-related murder of an Ogdensburg man.

Unfortunately, it's just the tip of the iceberg.

Across the entire county, communities are seeing more and more drug
abuse with more people turning to highly additive drugs in pursuit of
a "buzz".

The recreational drug use lobby, of course, will argue as they always
do that the real problem is society's foolish notion that drugs should
be illegal.

They feel they should have the right to take whatever drugs they want,
as often as they can get their hands on them, and when they eventually
suffer the ravages of addiction, society should treat it as a health
issue and provide them with drug rehabilitation.

We support providing access to drug rehabilitation to help addicts
resume productive lives.

But the notion that society should just turn a blind eye while people
destroy their lives and encourage others to join them on the path to
personal destruction seems a recipe for disaster.

St. Lawrence County's law enforcement community needs to step up its
campaign to control the growing problem in our midst.

The drug task force members need to take a look at the overall problem
and decide whether they currently have the manpower and resources they
need to curb the problem.

An election year is the best time to force elected officials to focus
on the problems facing the county.