THE NEED TO GET TOUGH ON DRUG PUSHERS

New laws against those who drink and drive are welcome, especially in a
province where no less than its own premier, Gordon Campbell, was busted for
driving drunk during a Hawaiian vacation in January of 2003.

Back then, Our Gordo received credit and some respect for facing the music -
and the media - upon his return to sobriety and B.C., after his police
mugshot became the hottest pinup since Pamela Anderson.

The premier swore off the sauce, and apparently has kept that pledge ever
since. He deserves to be praised for that. When new laws regarding stricter
enforcement, higher penalties and mandatory rehabilitation for drinking
drivers were introduced in the legislature last week, the ruling Liberals
decided Da Preem had had enough exposure on the subject; and they made
certain that Campbell was nowhere to be seen.

What British Columbians might be wise to be asking is not, "Where was Gord?"
but rather, "Why aren't the harsher treatment and penalties for repeat
offenders being applied to the lowlifes who deal in selling illegal drugs,
especially to our children?"

In a province where the putrefying court system sees three-time and/or
10-time drug pushers slapped gently on the wrist by judges who then send
them back onto the streets to peddle their poison, a crackdown on them would
better serve our society than the slightly upgraded drinking driving laws
do.

Bringing in some mandatory rehabilitation for the addicts would be welcomed,
too, no doubt.

Statistics unveiled by Solicitor General Rich Coleman to accompany the new
laws targeting drunk drivers were shocking, absolutely.

With a reported 40,000 roadside suspensions and 7,000 impaired driving
charges each year, residents have reason to be concerned, especially with 25
per cent of traffic fatalities being linked to drinking and driving.

Here's a sobering thought: Those stats work out to more than 109 suspensions
per day, and 19 impaired drivers charged each day, when averaged out over
the year.

Yet in the ever-growing world of illegal drug dealing, the crime associated
with addictive hard drugs such as crack cocaine, crystal meth and heroin
makes those numbers look puny.

From the thousands of home and vehicle break-ins each month to the hundreds
of holdups and shootings just in Vancouver alone, let alone the rest of the
province, there appears to be no law enforcement any more, just containment.

And don't even get me started on the lack of punishment from the courts and
those aforementioned judges when it comes to the softer, more socially
acceptable illegal drug of marijuana.

Even those associated with dealing in tons of pot know that they will get
away with little punishment if they do get caught.

What else should we expect in a city in which the local council not only
condones, but also actually supplies shooting galleries for junkies to shoot
up their heroin and cocaine?

And for those of you outside of Vancouver, who think it is just their
problem, think again.

This "experiment" will be coming to your city or town next, whether you want
it or not.

So, cheer on the slightly stiffer penalties for the drunk driver, by all
means. But also ask your local, provincial and federal politicians just
whatinhell are they going to do about the dealers/pushers/addicts?