Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
Constable David Bratzer a police officer from Vancouver Island who is the curent President of the Canadian Chapter of Lam Enforcement against prohibition came to day to express his organisations concerns over street drugs. Their point of view is that the war on drugs over the last 40 years has not worked and the population is ready for a change in legislation.
Street drugs are as available today as ever and all the curent laws do is to enrich drug traffickers.
They take take huge risks for huge rewards and for every one we lock up there are several replacements ready to take their place.
On a global basis the drug trafficking business runs second or third in dollar terms. 40,000 Mexicans have died since the ramp up of the war on drugs.
In Jamaica 100 died in a recent riot.
320 Billion a year are spent on illegal drugs globally.
One trillion Dollars has been spent on law enforcement in the US fighting the war on drugs.
In the US %25 of the prisoners in jail are drug related. Look at the cost to society of this and the fact that these are often parents.
On a daily basis they deal with drug addicts on the street. Jail time doesn't solve the problem.
5 police officers stated this organisation because of what they saw on the street.
Sharing of dirty needles spread AIDS.
The question is should we legalize some drugs?
Because these drugs are dangerous we need to control them We could use prescriptions as a basis for the more dangerous ones.
There are more deails on our web site. There are now 5 local speakers in B.C. and we have 160 world wide.
When you remove the profit you change the marketplace.
Social change is slow. We think the public are more ready than the legislators, which is often the case.
Washington sate is looking at raising $600 million in taxes a year now that they have legalized Marijuana.
David emphasized that he was off duty and these were his personal views and not those of his employer.A lively discussion ensued and Leigh thanked the speaker.