THE EDITOR, Sir:
IS THERE another purpose for cocaine other than being just 'illegal drugs'?
I write with reference to the street value of US$12.3m cocaine haul at Port Royal recently. After viewing the destruction of this tremendous amount of drugs on the front page of your Gleaner dated August 21, 2002, one is left to wonder if Jamaica could have rather derived some benefits from the seizure.
For example, the anaesthetics used in the medical profession, such as that used by the dentist when extracting a tooth, is it not derived from the processing of the same cocaine? As I understand it, the drug cocaine in itself is not illegal; it is the usage and manner of trading that determines its legality.
Consequently, do we foresee a country in which this drug has been seized and allowed to trade it with a manufacturer of pharmaceutical products in another country? Few years ago, a Bill was passed in the House of Parliament for the cash in the bank account of those persons who are convicted of money laundering to be shared between the individual's country of citizenship and the particular country in which the illegal money has been withheld. Within the concept of globalisation, could not world leaders formulate a plan to utilise a cocaine seizure for medicinal purposes and ultimately derive some financial benefits?
Certainly, the earnings from this formal trade could very well be used to maintain the facilities where these 'druggists' are incarcerated. Instead of destroying it, why not trade it!
I am, etc.,
LORENDA BRISSETT
Kingston 10
