Drug Squad must concentrate on big boys

[grace]

Drug Squad must concentrate on big boys

27 September 2008

Cyprus Mail

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?i...17&cat_id=1

 

THIS MUST be the most successful year ever in the police’s drive to combat drug trafficking. Unprecedented quantities of drugs have been seized and dozens of suspects are currently awaiting trial on a variety of drug-related charges. A week rarely goes by without a major drugs bust being made and the Drug Squad is earning a glowing reputation for it effectiveness.

 

This had not always been the case. Until a few years ago, most drug-busts involved young users found in possession of a few grams of cannabis. The police would make a big song and dance about these arrests inviting questions about the effectiveness of their methods. The big traffickers were free to carry on their business while hapless cannabis smokers, often young tourists, were being used as proof that the Drug Squad was controlling the spread of drugs. It was not. Instead of turning their attention to heavy drugs and the traffickers the police were picking up pot-smokers.

 

In the last couple of years, the police have clearly changed their strategy and priorities as the impressive results show. Perhaps the force has been helped by the retirement of corrupt and incompetent officers, the availability of better surveillance equipment, improved training and stronger leadership. The new strategy is most certainly working as the seizure of kilos of drugs shows. Arrests of youths with a few grams of cannabis are no longer publicised and, in many cases, offenders are released with just a warning, which is a sensible approach. No longer wasting police time on taking the kids to court and giving them criminal records, officers now concentrate on nailing the big boys.

 

The sensible approach is also evident in the more honest way Drug Squad officers talk about drugs in public. While emphasising the zero-tolerance policy, officers no longer put all drugs in the same category, regarding their effects, as was the practice in past. Claims that cannabis killed caused laughter rather than turning youths off drugs. Now, the distinction between hard and soft drugs is being made, so when an officer tells a radio show that even the first dose of heroin could kill, youths are more likely to take him seriously.

 

As part of this new approach, anti-drugs campaigns should focus on discouraging use of hard drugs – heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, LSD – which are much more dangerous than cannabis. Cannabis use is now so widespread among youths it is highly unlikely that it could be restricted by publicity campaigns. The authorities should concede defeat in the battle against cannabis use – they should still pursue the big traffickers, and concentrate on preventing users from going on to hard drugs. This must be the main objective of anti-drugs campaigns from now on.

 

Just as a pragmatic policy on combating trafficking yielded astonishing results, so would a pragmatic anti-drugs, publicity campaign.

 

 

 

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

[Rocker]

The authorities should concede defeat in the battle against cannabis use

 

Sadly this would need common sense. This is a commidity that is lacking in police ranks.