slimvictor
Bluelight Crew
Aggressive drug law enforcement hasn't suppressed the drug supply in Vancouver, where young drug addicts can score drugs to feed their habit in as little as 10 minutes, a new study shows.
The study, from the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, looked into how accessible substances such as heroin, crack, cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana were to 330 youths aged from 14 to 26.
Dr. Evan Wood, senior author of the study and co-director of the Urban Health Research Initiative at the B.C. Centre for Excellence, said it's clear that expensive drug enforcement strategies have failed to limit access to and consumption of illicit drugs.
“As an inner-city physician, I was pretty disappointed and surprised to see such free and easy availability of drugs, particularly to young people,” he said Tuesday. “Drugs have remained persistently available.”
Wood said money aimed at law enforcement, which he points out does have a role to play in community safety, would be better used if some of those funds could be diverted to addiction treatment.
“(Drugs are) easier to get than alcohol because there's no government regulation, you can sell to someone under 18 and you can deliver after midnight,” said former Vancouver police officer Walter McKay, an independent consultant who was not involved with the study. “All you need is a phone number and it's faster and easier to get drugs than a pizza.”
McKay spent 12 years as a Vancouver police officer, a majority of that in the Downtown Eastside, said Tuesday that aggressive enforcement by police hasn't stopped the flow of drugs.
The study surveyed two groups of users in 2007 and respondents were asked: “How difficult would it be for you to get drugs right now in the area you typically obtain your drugs?”
According to the responses, it was faster for youths to access crystal meth than adults, with 63 per cent of young people saying they could get the illegal drug in as little as 10 minutes compared to 39 per cent for adult users.
Youths also had easier access to marijuana than adults, with 88 per cent saying they could obtain the drug within 10 minutes compared to 73 per cent of adults.
In contrast, adult drug users reported faster access to heroin, crack and cocaine than their younger counterparts.
The results of the study, published Tuesday in the American Journal on Addictions, are consistent with other global assessments that find an expanding worldwide drug market despite increased law enforcement efforts.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...it-takes-less-time-to-find-drugs-than-alcohol
The study, from the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, looked into how accessible substances such as heroin, crack, cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana were to 330 youths aged from 14 to 26.
Dr. Evan Wood, senior author of the study and co-director of the Urban Health Research Initiative at the B.C. Centre for Excellence, said it's clear that expensive drug enforcement strategies have failed to limit access to and consumption of illicit drugs.
“As an inner-city physician, I was pretty disappointed and surprised to see such free and easy availability of drugs, particularly to young people,” he said Tuesday. “Drugs have remained persistently available.”
Wood said money aimed at law enforcement, which he points out does have a role to play in community safety, would be better used if some of those funds could be diverted to addiction treatment.
“(Drugs are) easier to get than alcohol because there's no government regulation, you can sell to someone under 18 and you can deliver after midnight,” said former Vancouver police officer Walter McKay, an independent consultant who was not involved with the study. “All you need is a phone number and it's faster and easier to get drugs than a pizza.”
McKay spent 12 years as a Vancouver police officer, a majority of that in the Downtown Eastside, said Tuesday that aggressive enforcement by police hasn't stopped the flow of drugs.
The study surveyed two groups of users in 2007 and respondents were asked: “How difficult would it be for you to get drugs right now in the area you typically obtain your drugs?”
According to the responses, it was faster for youths to access crystal meth than adults, with 63 per cent of young people saying they could get the illegal drug in as little as 10 minutes compared to 39 per cent for adult users.
Youths also had easier access to marijuana than adults, with 88 per cent saying they could obtain the drug within 10 minutes compared to 73 per cent of adults.
In contrast, adult drug users reported faster access to heroin, crack and cocaine than their younger counterparts.
The results of the study, published Tuesday in the American Journal on Addictions, are consistent with other global assessments that find an expanding worldwide drug market despite increased law enforcement efforts.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...it-takes-less-time-to-find-drugs-than-alcohol
Still gives me nightmares watching my friend ask random homeless guys for a connect. Got ripped off as often as he scored. The people that had the connects there were almost all destitute; I would find myself forgiving them whenever they ripped my friend off, they needed it, literally. The saddest bunch of folks I've ever seen in my life. Every time I think about it my heart breaks a little inside. I know that sounds corny but seriously if you've ever been to East Hastings you will know what I mean. It is so sad.
