Pubdate: Thu, 16 Jun 2005
Source: Westender (Vancouver, CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 WestEnder
Contact:  http://www.westender.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1243
Author: Brian Paterson

LEGALIZING POT WON'T HAPPEN SOON, BUT THANKS FOR BRINGING IT UP, LARRY

The contrast between the direction of American and Canadian drug policy was
on vivid display last week. On June 6 the American Supreme Court ruled in a
6-3 decision that the feds can arrest medical marijuana patients and growers
even in states that have legalized the herb for the sick.

Way to go, Team America! I'll sleep better knowing that tumorous tokers are
finally going to do some hard time before they shuffle off to kingdom come.

Meanwhile here in laid-back Lotus Land, the City of Vancouver released an
eerily rational public policy report: A Plan to Prevent Harm from
Psychoactive Drug Use. It's extraordinary because it ditches all that beyond
useless Just Say No" horseshit and acknowledges the core truth that:
Substance use is part of human behaviour."

People just love, love, love getting high. Be it OxyContin, booze, butts or
reefer no sanction by church or police state will dissuade them from getting
their groove on.

Personally, I use a total of two substances and only once a week at chess
club does it tip over into abuse. I figger the day-after hangover and
self-loathing is punishment enough. Maybe I should be technically jailed but
like the report says, Current prohibition legislation, both in Canada and
internationally, creates policy-related harm that is distinct from the harm
created by psychoactive substance use... from a prevention perspective,
reducing policy-related harm can be achieved by creating laws and regulatory
mechanisms that more appropriately deal with the reality of drug use in our
communities instead of treating drug use as something that can be
eliminated."

Common sense never sounded so revolutionary! It just percolates through the
24 recommendations in the report that are big on strengthening communities
and social services. The report reasons that prevention efforts need to be
flexible, age-appropriate and gender-specific. They must consider the
stresses that individuals experience as they move from one developmental
phase to another and negotiate key transitions, such as moving from school
to work, entering or leaving marriage and retirement."

It pegs alcohol and tobacco as the major evils. Community standards,
education and regulation have been crucial in minimizing their damage and
launching major successful lawsuits against the corporate smoke 'n' swill
pimps.

The report quotes Danny Kushlick from the Drug Policy organization,
Transform in the UK: No drug is made safer left in the hands of organized
criminals and unregulated dealers."

Hence, the report makes legislative change one of it's prevention priorities
which is where the... shudder... federal Liberal government comes in.

Recommendation 20 of the report demands That the Federal Government take a
leadership role at the national and international levels to initiate reform
of current drug laws and move towards creating regulatory frameworks for
psychoactive substances...."

Recommendation 21 urges the city to pressure the Federal Government to
implement further legislative changes to create a legal regulatory framework
for cannabis in order to enable municipalities to develop comprehensive
cannabis strategies that promote public health objectives... and support the
development of public education approaches to cannabis use and related harms
based on best evidence.

Cop, coroner and now Mayor Larry Campbell was all over the news last week
backing the report, especially its conclusions on pot legalization. Ya got
to hand it to the shrewd dude; he's getting major common-sense mileage
answering the burning question of our age and ultimately squat will probably
happen anyway.

We are talking about the embattled Feds here: scared of irritating the
Bush's next door and their lame-ass decriminalization Bill C-10 that makes
pot possession a ticketable offence and fails to address the criminal supply
issue sure to die before the next election. It's a shame. Good laws are so
easy to write, require no heavy lifting, generate heaps of tax revenue and
take a bite out of organized crime and chunky police budgets.

The report, available on the City's website for viewing, was set to go
before council this past Wednesday, after the WE press deadline.
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MAP posted-by: Josh