Pubdate: Fri, 31 Oct 2003
Source: Fort Saskatchewan Record, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003 The Fort Saskatchewan Record
Contact:  http://www.fortsaskatchewanrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/824
Author: John Wittan
Note: Titled by MAP
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?218 (Canadian Senate Committee on 
Illegal Drugs)

LEGALIZE FOR ADULTS

Fort Saskatchewan Record - Re: Sgt. Kevin Graham (retired) received 
Governor General award for introducing school drug awareness program in 
Canada. (Story appeared in Sherwood Park News)

Kudos for you Mr. Graham and DARE!

However, according to the Senate Committee on Drug Reform (at 
www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/ille-e/rep-e/summary-e.htm): 
revention strategies in schools should not be led by police services or 
delivered by police officers;

. The RCMP should reconsider its choice of the DARE program that many 
evaluation studies have shown to be ineffective;

. The resources and powers of enforcement are greatly out of balance 
compared with those of the health and education fields and the civil 
society; . The costs of all illegal drugs had risen to close to $1.4 
billion in 1992;

. Of the total costs of illegal drugs in 1992, externalities (social costs) 
represented 67 per cent and public policy costs 33 per cent;

. The social costs of illegal drugs and the public policy costs are 
underestimated ;

. The cost of enforcing the drug laws is more likely to be closer to $1 
billion to $1.5 billion per annum;

. The principal public policy cost relative to cannabis is that of law 
enforcement and the justice system; which may be estimated to represent a 
total of $300 to $500 million per annum;

. The costs of externalities attributable to cannabis are probably minimal 
- -- no deaths, few hospitalizations, and little loss of productivity;

. The costs of public policy on cannabis are disproportionately high given 
the drug's social and health consequences; and

. The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse is seriously underfunded; its 
annual budget amounts to barely 0.1 per cent of the social costs of illegal 
drugs alone (alcohol not included). Its budget should be increased to at 
least 1 per cent; that is, approximately $15 million per annum. Explain 
that Mr. Graham.

If only we could get politicians and police to end the "war on drugs," 
legalize everything for adults only, regulate it, tax it, and leave it for 
the free market instead of neo-Al Capones we would save billions of dollars.

Let's end prohibition at least for our children's sake, so to eliminate 
violent drug dealers getting our children to DARE sooner or later to try 
drugs. Under prohibition, drug dealers don't have to ask anyone for ID 
(that you are legal age) to buy drugs.

Why do those in power refuse to admit the emperor has no clothes?

John Wittan,

Edmonton
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom