Illegal Drugs - How do we solve the problem?

Dear Friends,

With reference to the Caribbean drug problem, the Secretary, Secretariat for Multidimensional Security (SMS) of the OAS, Ambassador Adam Blackwell, made the following comments: "it takes a network to beat a network" in order to tackle this transnational problem.  Drug abuse was not an isolated problem as it was directly related to violence and organised crime, the Ambassador underscored that our responses to crime and violence should be long-term actions to address their underlying causes. 

Stating "more prisons and longer jail sentences are not solving, and will not solve the problems", Mr. Blackwell cautioned "we cannot arrest our way out of crime.  I am not suggesting we let hardened criminals go free but sending individuals with an illness to the best crime school - prison, is counterproductive," he concluded.  

We all applaud the efforts of our Customs and Excise, Police and Security Officers at the Grantley Adams International Airport for  the sterling job they are doing in the apprehension of persons attempting to import drugs into Barbados. However, like Ambassador Blackwell, I must ask, What are the underlying causes of the drug problem in Barbados?

The questions that need to be asked are these:-

• Who is the market for these drugs and how were they introduced to it?
• Why is there a market for these drugs?
• Who controls the sale of these drugs? 
• Who is benefiting fro the proceed of the sale of these drugs?

The way I see it is this. Clearly, if there was no demand for illicit drugs there would be no trade. Trade is about supply and demand. Only the possibility of significant financial reward could make 8 Jamaican & 2 Bajan men ingest marijuana in an attempt to smuggle drugs into Barbados. I mean, what were they thinking? What information could they be acting on that they would think it smart to buy tickets, (at Caribbean Airlines prices...they aint even wait fuh RedJet den!), and travel to arguably one of the best policed airports in the region with drugs.

I know that some of you will say that they weren't very smart. If it was one or two people I might agree but 10 on the same flight! Did they know each other? Who paid for their tickets? What did they plan to do with the drugs once the got to Barbados? Was it for their own use or for sale? I hope that these answers will come out over the next few days.

There is a view held among some academics that the legalization of marijuana would result in a flooding of the market resulting in a reduction in price of the drug thus reducing the attractiveness to organized crime. If everyone grew it in their backyards it would have little value. Maybe if one holds to the opinion that the protection of the money generated by the drug trade is what is responsible for the number of firearms we have in Barbados, it might follow that legalization would negate the need for all this firepower resulting in less illegal firearms. Statistically, the illegal drug trade is the major contributor to the crime levels in Barbados. Would the removal of monetary reward reduce these crimes?

My problem with this is that if marijuana was as easily available as ackees, what would this do to the minds of of our children since it is generally accepted that marijuana is the gateway drug to the much harder stuff? Do we legalize them too?

Head of the Drug Squad, senior Superintendent Grafton Phillips, is on record saying that existing programmes are not working but as usual no alternatives were given. 

How do we reduce the market demand for illegal drugs in Barbados?

Together we can come up with the answer. The future of our children may depend on it.

 Quote of the day

"We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive," Albert Einstein 

Coming Soon

"Culture is roughly anything we do and monkeys don't." Lord Raglan