TOUGHER DRUG LAWS IMMINENT NOW THAT ELITE STREETS STRUCK

As with most Vancouverites I was saddened to hear about last weekend's
Westside shootings but not surprised.

Drug trafficking, the source of revenue for most gangs, continues to
be the most profitable enterprise in the history of humanity.

In the meantime, law-enforcement agencies continue to pour billions of
dollars into curbing the use and trafficking of narcotics, but what
has drug prohibition got us? Insatiable demand, more potent drugs and
powerful drug cartels.

The silver lining, if I could call it that, to last weekend's
shootings is that it happened in a Vancouver Westside neighbourhood,
which, like most wealthy neighbourhoods, has been largely untouched by
the ravages of our century-old drug war.

Drug prohibition won't end until the violence hits home for many of
our country's influential political leaders and their
constituents.

Mayor Robertson, I'm sorry the shootings happened in your
neighbourhood, but I have to believe you're aware of our nation's
outdated and futile drug laws.

Can you help to get the ball rolling, to end our costly, senseless and
draconian prohibition laws?

Milton Kiang, Vancouver