I think its a good thing that Baltimore City's Health Department is going to review the city's "drug-related deaths" over the past ten years. The problem is, "drug related deaths" in this case only include those who have died from intoxication.
The problem is being approached from a public health standpoint, which is both refreshing and troubling at the same time. While the consequences of illegal drug abuse are, in many ways, public health issues, the trade in these drugs is encompasses much more. To me, addressing one without addressing the other seems to be a shortsighted, if not ineffective strategy.
I would be very interested in some sort of study investigating if a link between the drug trade/drug addiction and the current violence in Baltimore city. How many of the shootings, stabbings, muggings and burglaries in Baltimore are drug-related? That is the question that City Hall and the Mayor should be asking if they are interested in getting to the bottom of the true effect of illegal drugs in Baltimore City.
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3 comments:
Do we really need a study to tell us that most of the 280+ murders in Baltimore this year were drug-related?
Take a look at this when you get the chance: http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/criminaljustice/research/bgp.htm
Thanks for the link. Interesting stuff.
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