THE EDITOR, Sir:
WITH THE recent killing of Hugh Crosskill at the hands of a security guard, we in Jamaica have finally awakened to find that dangerous drugs such as cocaine are a major problem in our country.
We now have to face the fact that something has to be done and done now to stop or decrease the negative impact of drugs on our people, country and society. Many of us remain naive about just how cocaine is and has been affecting our nation.
If you should prowl the streets in the nights the harsh reality will slap you right in the face. Children as young as 11 and 12 years old are apparent crack-heads. These children are not alone however, as they have huge numbers of older crack-heads prowling the streets with them.
They prowl the streets in search of anything which they may find that has any value which can be exchanged for money or crack. The addiction has turned ordinary citizens into people that will do almost anything to get just a tiny bit of the drug.
Boys and girls as young as 11 years old have turned to prostitution, robbery and all sorts of illegal activities just to get money to support their habit. I once saw and spoke to Hugh Crosskill on the streets of Cross Roads and was informed by him that the access to cocaine in Jamaica is as easy as getting a lollipop from a candy store.
During our chat, Hugh claimed that there are over 3,000 crack houses in Kingston alone. I have no doubt that he was correct with this information. He was a journalist. He knew how to acquire and disseminate information.
Now that crack has claimed the life of a well known personality in Jamaica, can we not FINALLY see the urgency in ridding this, our wonderful land, of this dangerous drug that robs individuals of their morals, self-respect and general humanity.
Though I hope the powers that be will take on a new vitality and renew the fight against drugs and drug abuse as a whole, I am sadly confident that not enough will be done to stop the thousands of Jamaicans already hooked on cocaine from self-destructing and preventing those not yet affected from becoming crack heads too.
I am, etc.,
O'NEIL BROOKS
oneilbrooks@hotmail.com
St. Catherine
