Recent drug arrests by local law enforcement indicate a demand for various narcotics and marijuana and cocaine, either powder or rock.

Authorities are faced with the age-old problem of cutting off the source or eliminating the demand. Of course catching someone with a joint brings less damage to the drug culture here than arresting a suspect with 15 kilos of marijuana, vacuum sealed and ready to sale.

We might ask ourselves the question of what is causing the demand? Other questions to follow might be: How can, in this recession, people afford the prices of these drugs?

The Times-Journal applauds our local law enforcement officials for their search-and-destroy missions when it comes to drugs. We encourage them to keep up the efforts until the demand turns outside Selma and Dallas County or leaves the area.