DE FACTO LEGALIZATION ENABLES DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE

To the editor:

Re: "Government Addicted to 'War on Drugs," July 2.

We're tired of seeing columns/letters from pro-drug-legalization
individuals and policy groups, repeating the same tired, false claims
that drug prohibition and the so-called "war on drugs" don't work.

What they should be admitting is: the total failure of the
non-existent "war on drugs" or de facto drug legalization in
Vancouver. (The result is the Downtown Eastside, where no prohibitions
exist and the tragic consequences are plain for all to see.)

They deliberately ignore the clear successes of the real "war on
drugs" in places like Sweden, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan,
Japan, most Asian countries and most Muslim countries. Fortunately,
those places have never copied Vancouver's legalization failure,
otherwise hundreds of "Downtown Eastsides" would be flourishing
throughout the world.

Dave Ing,

Vancouver