The Destructive Trade in Dangerous Drugs
By Fr Shay Cullen
Opium poppies, Afghanistan, a major source of drugs [Wikipedia]
Young people by the thousands are dropping dead by consuming chemicals into their bodies to forget their problems or just to get an exciting high and overcome inhibition. A few weeks ago in an open air dance concert in Manila, another five people collapsed in the outdoor dance area and died on the spot or later in hospital from presumed drug overdose. Ecstasy and a powerful variety of marijuana and crystal meth are easily available. These young people were seemingly victims of the drug culture. What a tragic loss of young lives and pain and suffering for their family and friends. They could be your children or grandchildren, nephews or nieces- all are targets of the drug pushers and dealers. We cannot stand idly by wringing our hands helplessly. We must act and campaign for a drug-free society, not a society that tolerates, ignores, or as in some Northern hemisphere countries legalizes dangerous drugs.
Murdering drug pushers or denouncing them without evidence or a trial or accusing them before TV cameras is wrong. It is a violation of their rights. In that system anyone can accuse you or me and we could be shot without due process.
Any person accused is entitled by law to due process and a fair trial. Vigilante killing of suspects without a trial is not a solution, it is murder. More pushers, drug lords and dealers will take their place, who would they be? If they are politicians with hit squads who kill suspects they are no saints and can easily take over the drug business and remain in power forever. Goodbye democracy, here come the goons.
It is only by having a high value of our lives and health of our children and all our citizens and teaching our children by good example to be drug and alcohol-free and eat healthy food will they have a healthy, productive meaningful life. The drug users did not have these values and are victims. They need recovery, therapy and rehabilitation.
Full post here.