MORE DRUGS OFF THE STREET

Every once in a while we hear about a drug bust on the news. Take for
example the 18 pounds of marihuana seized from a residence in Goose
Bay last week. You may ask, "is there that much demand for weed in the
area?"

The answer is simply "yes". Large lots of drugs are typically broken
down by the trafficker for sale in the outports of Newfoundland and
Labrador in smaller quantities. Let's not fool ourselves into thinking
"it's only weed". Weed kills. People using the drug today are smoking
an extremely potent product. Then in their high, irrational state
decide to get behind the wheel of a car and drive impaired-no
different than getting drunk and doing the same. They risk the lives
of others and themselves in the process, not just other drivers but
pedestrians, kids on bicycles etc. How selfish can one get?

We cannot be naive enough to think this is the only illicit drug
problem in our region. Cocaine use is far too prevalent, ecstasy is
available in most communities and other drugs like LSD are used as
well. Do seizures of this type help stem the tide of drugs?

Yes. Compare it to putting a band-aid on a large wound. The fact is,
someone is usually out a lot of money when seizures like this occur,
so it does have an adverse effect on an element of organized crime as
such a large quantity of drugs does have a substantial value.

Some would say that drug use is a "victimless" crime. This could not
be further from the truth. The user is the obvious victim on one hand,
but let's stop and think about the children who are sometimes the
victims of various forms of abuse because of parental/caregiver drug
use.

In the case of methamphetamine abusers, this has led to drug
endangered children legislation in Alberta for example, to protect
such innocent victims. The best way to combat this problem lies in
both enforcement of drug laws and implementation of education and
prevention initiatives to all age groups. The former serves to reduce
supply and the latter reduces the demand.

Drug investigations can be complex, requiring significant amounts of
information in order to draft search warrants. In protecting the legal
rights of our citizens, checks are in place so that police have to
satisfy the court, be it Provincial or Supreme, that there are grounds
to impinge on these rights in protection of the public. To obtain
these grounds, we need the help of the public, either through source
information or Crimestoppers type tips. The subsequent conviction and
sentencing of those inclined to traffic in drugs is intended to serve
as a deterrent to like-minded individuals before they make the bad
choice to walk that road.

The DARE program is only one example of the work that goes into the
prevention side of this equation. When you ask yourself what you can
do to help clean up your community/school from drugs, look in the
mirror. It has been said that it takes a community to raise a child.
It also takes a community to fight drugs and the erosion of youth they
carry with them. Make wise choices, say no to drugs and organized crime.

RCMP CPL. Keith MacKinnon is the Labrador District Drug Awareness
Co-ordinator.