Society should no longer tolerate current drug situation

By Letter to the Editor on October 3, 2018.

Jason Kenney found himself the subject of rebuke recently by Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips. Comments made about Lethbridge Police not doing enough in relation to drugs in the city do not sit well with the MLA and her New Democratic Party. They demand an apology on behalf of the police service.

My observation, however, is that Mr. Kenney is correct. The police are not doing enough and not of their own volition. Their efforts have been hampered or derailed by the courts, mental and health professionals and the public.

To be clear: Drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine are illegal for a reason. Their presence is a cancerous scourge on our society. Meth can be produced in small quantities by individuals but most comes from organized crime groups or Mexican cartels. Fentanyl is manufactured in Chinese laboratories and used by street dealers to bump up an otherwise weak and unsellable heroin product. The combined individuals behind these drugs make billions for no other reason than greed. The vast sums of money can be used to bankroll other criminal activities and corrupt state officials. Anyone believing otherwise is simply wrong.

Police arrest street dealers and the courts’ failure to denounce drug trafficking sufficiently creates a revolving door. Policing agencies lack financial specialists and Canada Revenue Agency has its own difficulties. Once drugs are converted to cash, it becomes elusive; money laundering cases complex and difficult to prosecute.

Drug use and trafficking affects all of us. Mental and health care professionals have successfully changed the vocabulary and labelled this a healthcare crisis. It is not. This epidemic is a concerted effort by individuals to get rich and undermine our society in the process.

The public needs to get involved. If your loved one overdoses, report the dealer. Naloxone and Narcan should be given only once to an individual. The individual should then surrender the dealer’s name or be put on a “Do Not Resuscitate” list. Policing can only work with the help of citizens. We as good concerned people have to recognize the damage, not tolerate the situation any longer and aid the police with effort or information.

John Blackmore

Medicine Hat

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