On Saturday, December 18th, The Globe & Mail ran a long editorial about the war against the drug cartels being waged by Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, exhorting them to greater efforts, without once mentioning that the foundation of gang activity and wealth is the 'war on drugs' itself. Below, is my response, with the parts edited out in italics; it was published in the G&M on Monday, December 20th.
"Your editorial wasted 752 words dancing around the elephantine fact that [T]he least expensive (in lives and money), and most effective single blow against organized crime in all three countries would be to legalize the possession of recreational drugs, and treat addiction as a medical problem.
"Legalization, while not a panacea, if followed by appropriate regulations, licensing, and taxation would address both drug use and addiction, while freeing millions of dollars for treatment and education that are currently wasted on a revolving door of police, courts, and prisons. And, without a lucrative black market for the gangs to fight bloody turf wars over, and without the need for addicts to steal, the rest of us would be much safer.
"As long as Harper, Obama, and Calderon persist in waging their war on drugs, thus continuing to make the minor problem of addiction into the major one of organized crime, they will remain the three best friends of the Hell’s Angels."
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