The Drug Trade Likes Us To Live In Fear
Wednesday, January 16, 2013 @ 3:45 AM
The sudden attention being paid to the community of Vanderhoof is just an example of what is taking place in many communities in BC.
It is easy to suggest that there have been five people killed or gone missing in that community in a short period of time. In one case, unless it can be shown otherwise, it was a tragic accident. We don’t know the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Madison Scott, and so that leaves three people who have died while leading a life style that was conducive to the drug trade.
Simply put, if you are trafficking or dealing in drugs, you run a risk, a real risk that someone may show up demanding you pay up for accumulated debt, or put on the heat to take your business away at any cost.
That cost can be your life.
This conduct is not unique to Vanderhoof.
Prince George, Mackenzie, Quesnel, Williams Lake and Terrace; all face a drug problem and the key to changing this will come from teaching our youth that this type of lifestyle carries with it a risk of death.
On the other side of the coin, the average person who is not exposed to the drug trade has little to fear, but keep in mind the enforcers from the drug trade like to keep the general population frightened, that enables them to operate just under the surface because people who see what’s going on are too afraid to tell authorities.
If we live in fear, the drug trade wins and our communities lose.
I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s’ opinion
Comments
Hey, I’ve got an idea – why don’t don’t we legalize drugs? That way, there would be no black market and therefore, no gang activity related to recreational drug use.
That’s not to say the gangs will simply pack up shop and disappear quietly into the night; that’s not going to happen. But at least folks could grow their own stone, those already addicted to narcotics could be registered and provided their drugs at a fraction of the price of street dope, and those who want help kicking the habit can get it. Other civilized nations do this, so why can’t we?
Has to be way cheaper than what we’re doing now: cost of policing, court/prosecution expenses, incarceration expenses, recidivism and revolving door of the courts, B&Es leading to increased homeowner insurance costs, sinister influences running neighbourhoods down leading to real estate decline, . . .
The costs associated with the ongoing war and prohibition on drugs is unaffordable and with no evidence that legalization leads to increased drug use, unjustifiable.
So, at what drug do we stop making it legal? Heroin, Cocaine, Crack? To legalize every drug is insane, you would have a society of zombies worse than it is now. To simply legalize pot is not going to change anything in the drug trade. Personally, I could care less if pot is legalized, don’t use it and don’t need it, but I draw the line at hard drugs.
Legalizing drugs will have little or no effect. Gangs would still exist, people would still need to feed their habits through crime whether it’s legal or not.
IMO, we have gotten far too complacent with the gang and drug culture in this community. People like to think they’re ‘minding their own business’ by letting these people and organziations go about their days. Minding our own business is part of the reason PG is in the state it is.
Yup leave it to the dope smokers to figure that legalizing pot will solve the worlds problems. It wont. Here is a great site that has alot of info on the gangs and drugs, they have linked many articles from O250 over the years as well:
www.http://gangstersout.blogspot.ca/
Portugal decriminalized all drugs years ago. From what I’ve read, it took a big bite out of their organized crime. Now if they would have just reigned in their bankers and politicians……………
Have to observe Colorado and Washington over the next year.
Kids living in poverty and going to school hungry are prime targets for the drug world – a proven fact – and we have no shortage of that. Combine this with the billions spent on: a new jail, courthouse, monolithic cop shop (it’s embarrassing) and the crew of jedi knights running around in black suv’s and smoked windows, while at the same time axing preventative social programs and yeah, not hard to see why pee gee has a very big problem.
interceptor says…”Yup leave it to the dope smokers to figure that legalizing pot will solve the worlds problems.”
But leaving alcohol legalization to alcohol users is solving the worlds problems?
yeah thats what I said Dragon… *eye roll*
Looking at OUR youth today who are growing up around and into the Drug Trade, as parents, spending time with our children is more important that spending money on our children. They are our future and are our greatest investment. Our local / provincial / federal government must realize the importance in helping our youth to stay on track. Preventative social programs are a must.
It might not solve the worlds problems but it would be a step in the right direction. Prohibition does not work, simple case of supply and demand IMO. Alcohol is the single most destructive product legally available, well that and tobacco. In my life I have had to battle alcoholism and have been sober since 1994, but I still enjoy my evening bowl of weed and have for forty years. There are thousands of people just like me in this province, when Are politicians going to listen to the majority and let us smoke legally. Saving millions on enforcement while bringing in millions of tax revenue just makes sense.
krusty you got it!!legalising and regulating drugs would kill a large part of our gang problem, considering they deal for the most part in illegal drugs! a little bit of education goes a long way when looking at failed prohibition. its the same for drugs as alcohol. i would like to point out also that the fear mongering is comming from the state who wants us to be afraid of drugs and the people who use them instead of looking for solutions to this social problem
Here is the problem – I really could care less if you smoke every night Boudicca. Good on ya, its your body, etc etc. If they were to legalize it then you would have a few plants in your basement or your buddy would, whatever. Again, most people could care less. Unfortunately that will do absolutely zero to stopping the gangs from putting in huge grow ops and taking thier product to where it is illegal and selling / trading it for the products that are illegal like cocaine, crack, heroin etc. You see the gap?
“yeah thats what I said Dragon… *eye roll*”
Intelligent comeback interceptor *GAG*
I’m gonna build me a still, and sell some hooch to the Saudis. Cross border trade for BC bud in exchange for guns, coke etc, all but dried up since the Can$ rose. The states grow over 90% of their weed in-house. The majority of the rest comes from Mexico.
Again, we’ll see how the Colorado, Washington experiment works out.
“Intelligent comeback interceptor”
Sorry didnt have a Union rep or a truck driver to help me think for myself ;)
There are many prescription drugs such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class of drugs used for antidepressants which are commonly used by people who can afford to get access to medical practitioners and get prescriptions for other forms of mind altering chemicals.
Which mood altering chemicals are legal and which are not is a matter of opinion of the various countries. It is all human perception based on nothing more than social norms at the time and can change one way or the other over time and has done so.
So, what are the real questions we should be asking? What are the experiences in the countries which have changed? What has been the experience in our own neck of the woods as things changed in the past.
The last thing we need are preconceived knee jerk reactions from those on both sides of the issue of legalizing this that or the other thing.
“I’m gonna build me a still, and sell some hooch to the Saudis”
Just make sure you don’t show your face in that country …. otherwise it might be separated from the rest of your body …. ;-)
Desensitized… we have all become desensitized and what used to be the “norm” has changed.
The news used to rarely show brutal footage of killings or accidents.. now the rule is..IF it bleeds it leads. Seeing a murder victim on TV is now common place.. no shock value anymore.. War footage is shown on a daily basis.
After school fights used to stop once one gave up..now its keep beating till they are almost dead..
Look at the change to R rated movies.. and horror movies.. it used to be what you didnt see in the movie that scared you.. now its how much gore can be fit in 1hr 30 min film.
We have also become so paranoid we dont leave our houses… we drive our kids to and from school.. whens the last time you heard a parent calling their kids in for supper… now they are playing violent video games.. and this violence becomes the norm.
OK.. time to step down from my soap box.
Ya, I`m fro decriminalizing pot ,but that`s not gonna happen till after the next election year cause the liberals would lose the gangster vote…
And what the heck are all of you doing home between 7am an now on a work day???
smokin dope?
Vulgar… here is a wierd concept… some people have those computer things at work..and not only that they have a internet connection to… no really..its true :)
P Val: “now they are playing violent video games.. and this violence becomes the norm. “
You had me on your side until this statement. Can we stop making so-called violent video games the scapegoat for the ills of society? Before video games, people used to say that watching violent movies caused violence. Utter nonsense.
I am not saying the video games make the kids do violent things.. I am saying seeing this violence becomes the norm.
People still must be held reponsible for their actions.
What has the war on drugs actually accomplished? Is the status quo working, at all?
JohnnyB, there is very well thought out and executed research that provides compelling evidence linking violent media, especially video games, to acting out aggressively. This doesn’ make violent video games the scapegoat for the ills of society, at least not all of them, but it is observable that prolonged exposure to violent video games desensitizes children to violence and encourages the thought that violence is a reasonable way to settle differences.
Do we really want this?
If hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine, etc. were legalized for the addicts, and given a prescription for their dose each day, then they would no longer have to commit crimes against us to support their habits.
That would give them all day to do other things with their lives, such as taking courses or working and becoming productive members of society.
More people have kicked the habit in countries that have legalized and regulated hard drugs, than do in Canada or the U.S., where their whole being is screaming for the next hit, and their whole lives revolve around getting it.
Awaken your Spirit, and know “I AM HERE”
JohnnyBelt, the point I took from PVal’s post is that the amount of violence we are exposed to has had a desensitizing effect, that includes video games. This plays directly into the hands of gangsters when they look for potential recruits. Take one part semi-sociopath, one part desensitized disenfranchised youth…A nudge here a, push there & a bit of peer pressure, you have the perfect recipe for the next drive by perpetrator.
“whens the last time you heard a parent calling their kids in for supper”
When there were kids ….
It seems there are plenty of people out there who don’t believe people are responsible for their own actions, and would rather point to such things like ‘violent’ video games. Too bad.
@gus reverend,
‘Prohibition’ is a word used by drugees wanting to legalize. Washington has ‘legalized’ possession, it is still illegal to grow, and by last count BC growers are still importing into Washington, probably at a higher rate than ever before now. In Washington state they still have a ‘war on drugs’ that hasn’t stopped with legalization of possession as well.
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