OPIOID CRISIS DEADLY AND CRIMINAL

Recently, federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Ya’ara Saks stated that opioids are a health and not a criminal issue.

I beg to differ. It’s both, in my opinion. Since 2016, a little over 42,000 Canadians have died from drug overdoses; 82 per cent of these deaths are a result of fentanyl.

These drugs are illegal and, given that most are tainted, this is murder.

Our law enforcement agencies seem paralyzed to do anything. Decriminalizing and then recriminalizing these drugs, as British Columbia did recently, is a joke.

It’s the dealers law enforcement need to go after, not the users, as they are the victims.

In the U.S., annual overdose drug deaths are estimated at 100,000; again, most of it fentanyl related. Law enforcement there is seriously lacking, as well.

Much of this fentanyl is coming from China. That’s where we should be focusing and not on the ridiculous foreign interference enquiry. That’s an insult to all those who have been killed by these drug dealers.

This drug crisis has taken a serious turn for the worse. One of Canada’s largest financial institutions is now caught up in it. The U.S. Justice Department is looking into money laundering and accusing this financial institution of laundering in excess of $600 million in drug money, mainly from illegal fentanyl sales from Chinese criminals. If convicted, this financial institution could face a $2-billion fine and its very existence could be at stake as it could be labeled a criminal organization. Other financial institutions could be at risk.

I would strongly advise Saks to get her facts right and not blame polarizing politics when it comes to this very serious drug crisis. There is far more at stake if we don’t act soon.

John Moore, Halifax