Pubdate: Mon, 09 Jan 2006
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2006 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n015/a01.html
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

WAR ON DRUGS FUELS CRIME

Your Jan. 4 editorial - "Toronto needs an anti-gang squad" - made the 
common mistake of confusing drug-related crime with 
prohibition-related crime. Attempts to limit the supply of illegal 
drugs while demand remains constant only increase the profitability 
of drug trafficking.

For addictive drugs like heroin, a spike in street prices leads 
desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate 
habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime.

The good news is that Canada has already adopted many of the common 
sense harm-reduction interventions first pioneered in Europe.

The bad news is that Canada's southern neighbor continues to use its 
superpower status to export a dangerous moral crusade around the 
globe. The United States provides tragic examples of anti-drug 
strategies that are best avoided.

The U.S. Centres for Disease Control estimate that 57 per cent of 
AIDS cases among women and 36 per cent of overall AIDS cases in the 
U.S. are linked to injection drug use or sex with partners who inject 
drugs (www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/facts/idu.htm).

This easily preventable public-health crisis is a direct result of 
zero tolerance laws that restrict access to clean syringes. Canada 
cannot afford to emulate the harm-maximization policies of the former 
land of the free and current record holder in citizens incarcerated.

Robert Sharpe

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman