Editor, The Times:
Re: Editorial “Cocaine is a terrible thing” in Jan. 23 issue of the Times
If the article is implying that there is a direct connection between income disparity and the instance of Stu Seib in relation to the drug then "Cocaine is a terrible thing" is grasping at straws.
It’s hardly a case of economic disparity when an 18+ year senior staff sergeant with strong community ties finds himself facing drug related theft charges. Rather, it is a poignant statement about the insidiousness of drug prohibition and a compelling example of how none, regardless of rank or position, are exempt from the inherent capacity of prohibition to corrupt. Stu Seib, the former commander of the Clearwater RCMP detachment, is simply the latest high profile victim of prohibition.
If truth be known, Stu Seib is neither the first, nor will he be the last; rather, his is the symptomatic indication of the probability of a problem existing which extends far beyond that of drug related theft charges. A problem that goes to the heart of the issue itself; it is that which poses serious questions about the relation of corruption to prohibition itself. The only question that begs to be asked is, "What is to be done?"
For members of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP www.leap.cc/ ) the relation of corruption to prohibition, as well as the solution, is a no-brainer.
Wayne Phillips, communication director
Educators For Sensible Drug Policy, Hamilton, ON