THE REAL DOWNTOWN PROBLEM

Many Victoria residents were likely surprised to read police Chief
Jamie Graham's comment that this city's illegal drug trade is not
nearly the problem it is perceived to be.

Alcohol abuse is far and away the largest problem city police deal
with, Graham told a meeting of downtown residents this week.

That statement not only turns popular thinking on its ear -- that
illegal drug addicts among the homeless population create a
significant amount of downtown mayhem -- but exposes a harsher reality.

The people causing the most trouble downtown aren't necessarily the
mentally ill or addicted.

Instead, they are just as likely to be your neighbour, your son -- or you.

Don't believe it? Take a walk downtown on a Friday night as the clubs
are closing, and see for yourself who's starting fights or making the
most noise. Chances are it's young, middle-class males, fuelled by a
night of alcohol consumption.

"Many of the issues our officers are sent to, they act almost as
referees," Graham said, adding the most common calls city police
respond to are reports of alcohol-related disorder -- people yelling
or screaming, arguments, doors being slammed or pushing and shoving.

By comparison, a recently completed undercover operation in Victoria
was hard-pressed to turn up any drugs or arrests at all. Over the
course of two weeks, police made only about a dozen arrests, and
undercover officers reported surprise at how difficult it was to buy
illegal drugs.

This is not to downplay the need to deal with the illegal drug trade
in downtown Victoria: One need only look at the numbers from needle
exchanges and social agencies to be assured the problem is very real.
And those addicted to illegal drugs should have every opportunity to
seek help and get the treatment they need.

But alcohol is just a different kind of drug -- the only difference
is that it's legal. That doesn't make the fallout from its abuse any
less harmful to individuals, families and communities.

The next time you read about a violent incident downtown, don't fall
into the trap of assuming the problems are exclusive to "them."

Sometimes, as Walt Kelly once wrote, the enemy is us.