MORE RISK IN TRAFFIC THAN TRAFFICKERS

Re: "Feds unveil crackdown on crystal," Aug. 11

Life imprisonment for trafficking in, producing or importing crystal
meth: What hypocrisy from our federal government! Societies seem to
need a convenient scapegoat to demonize while overlooking its real
menaces. In Canada, this role falls to what we define as illicit drugs.

In fact, the death, injury and damage caused by illegal drugs pales in
comparison to the devastation caused by (any one of) automobiles,
alcohol, tobacco, gambling, abuse of prescription drugs, or the toxic
waste of industry. Do we give life imprisonment to traffickers in
these commodities? Not at all. In fact, we reward automobile and
cigarette manufacturers through the stock market.

Wake up, folks, and properly identify the true villains in society.
Besides, the punitive approach to managing illicit drugs has never
worked. Our ineffective drug laws help to create the very drug
traffickers they are designed to combat. The laws are totally
counter-productive.

Let's focus the powers of government on behaviours causing the most
damage. Illicit drug use and trafficking are not the huge menaces to
civilization that police and politicians make them out to be when
compared to the overall social damage done by legal or condoned activities.

Brian Mason

Victoria.