The things you learn on this site.I had never heard of the AK74 or Kalakov before.Now I find they're trading them for heroin on the Afghan border.The commercial prospects of this drug war never cease to amaze me.Just tonite I heard about a trio of street people getting into an argument in a downtown alley and it turned into a gunfight.It could very well have been over a small amount of the same heroin that they were trading for AK's.The thing is,these were just street level probably homeless addicts and someone started shooting.When a guy that can't find a place to rent can afford a hand gun and is crazy enough to pull it out to settle an argument in a down town alley.We're all in trouble.He just shot the guy in the leg and he was caught within seconds but when there are so many guns around that a homeless guy can pack one to settle minor disagreements in a crowded neighborhood there is something a little scary about that.The local cops want to toss everyone in prison and the Harper government doesn't have a clue so they just give us the same but more of it.It seems like the rest of the world is finally beginning to realise that there is no way to jail our way out of this problem.We have been very lucky here in Vancouver to have had a series of mayors who have understood that putting an addict in prison only exacerbates the situation.The two men that are the front runners in the November election do not seem to hold such an enlightened outlook.Both support InSite but both seem to feel that one site is enough and that we need a return to a law and order platform.I have heard nothing that gives me anything but trepidation when I think about where we are going in this city.The mayor is also the head of the police department.Time will tell but I don't hear any forward thinking thoughts on drug policy from either major candidate.If something isn't done to curb the escalating gang violence we may be seeing more than just Afghan heroin on our streets.We may see some of those brand new AK74's killing gangsters in our fair city.
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