The June 15 story about another big drug investigation to bust a major pipeline to the Capital Region avoided questions of law enforcement that would address the tough reality that drug prohibition doesn’t work.
All of these drug investigations are concentrated in the inner cities while the wealthier suburban areas of upstate New York are ignored by law enforcement. How long will it be before the next big drug investigation is launched in the next inner city?
Statistically, there is as much drug use in the suburbs, but these investigations are selectively enforced and the media never ask law enforcement why. They merely report the number of arrests or the amount of cash and drugs confiscated without reporting the cost of these lengthy investigations to the taxpayer.
Even in the areas where these investigations are focused, the impact is minimal as drug arrests continue to fill our prisons and courts. Too many of our elected leaders have forgotten the lessons of alcohol prohibition.
The facts show that this heavy hand of the law is centered on the people with the least amount of money, influence or power. If our scarce law enforcement resources were applied evenly in the cities and suburbs in the war on drugs, alternatives such as regulating, taxing and legalizing them would have a great deal more traction in the public discussion.
WILLIAM AIKEN
Member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
Schenectady
— MAP Posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.
Pubdate: Thu, 23 Jun 2011
Source: Times Union (Albany, NY)
Copyright: 2011 Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation
Contact: http://www.timesunion.com/forms/emaileditor.asp
Website: http://www.timesunion.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/452
Author: William Aiken. Member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition