Drug Addiction in Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver is plagued with several organized crime groups, each generating income from illegal drug trade and prostitution. Vancouver’s gangs and organized crime groups are quite violent with citizens and other groups as they fight for turf.

Vancouver like the rest of British Columbia knows how widespread drug addiction is with its population. In an effort to stop people from theft when they need another fix suboxone clinics are available for anyone who is going through detox. There are also several clean injection sites that can be found throughout the city, but most commonly on the East side of Vancouver. They hope that by providing this service the diseases spread by sharing needles will be reduced significantly. Both these programs are taking some heat from the rest of Canada and from across the border, saying that it will only increase the drug use.

Vancouver has the highest rate of drug addiction in comparison to the rest of Canada. There is an estimated twelve thousand injection addicts throughout Vancouver. Four thousand of them live within a twelve block radius on the east side of this city.

The police have been investigating what they thought was just a group of people selling drugs. To their surprise it was linked back to a well known gang. The two gangs known as Independent Soldiers and Jamaican Prosse were violently preying on the east side of Vancouver with several crimes and attacks leading back to them. The police made eight arrests between the two gangs, and laid over one hundred charges including trafficking, possession of firearms and possession of stolen property. These charges were significant because for years the police couldn’t get enough on anyone to lay charges; these are the first time criminal organization charges have been laid. The police hope this will make some difference in the rising number of those cuaght in the vicious cycle of drug addiction.

^{References: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Vancouver+police+make+eight+arrests+after+targeting+violent+drug+traffickers/4178691/story.html
http://bc.rcmp.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=694&languageId=1&contentId=16815
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/169/10/1063}