Pubdate: Wed, 17 Jan 2007
Source: St. Albert Gazette (CN AB)
Copyright: 2007 St. Albert Gazette
Contact:  http://www.stalbertgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2919

WAR ON DRUGS NEEDS NEW STRATEGY

Canada is losing the "war on drugs" and unless the government changes 
its strategy, the casualties of illegal drug use will continue to climb.

There's unlikely a community in this country that isn't struggling to 
come to terms with illegal drug use, addiction and its consequences. 
The answer, according to the federal government, is a heavy-handed 
approach involving more law enforcement and tougher penalties.

A report, published this week in the HIV/AIDS Policy and Law Review, 
backs up what the government was told by Auditor-General Sheila 
Fraser five years ago -- that the country's strategy focuses far too 
heavily on supply reduction and does little to reduce demand.

The new study explores how the government allocates funds and the 
strategy's effectiveness in reducing drug use and the harm done by 
illegal drugs. Of the $245 million spent, 73 per cent goes to law 
enforcement. Only 14 per cent is spent on addictions treatment, seven 
per cent on research and three per cent for awareness and prevention 
initiatives.

This "get tough" approach has not worked in the United States and 
will not work here. It's a philosophy that panders to public 
sentiment that seeks to punish those struggling with addiction, 
rather than reduce the harm done by it. But in Prime Minister Stephen 
Harper's plan for a national drug strategy, released during his 
election campaign, no reference was made to prevention and there's no 
sign he'll change his mind. In fact, Health Minister Tony Clement 
told the Globe and Mail this week that any new strategy will focus 
even more heavily on law enforcement because opinion polls say that's 
what voters want.

The report suggests the economic costs of the current approach should 
be enough to raise red flags among Conservative party supporters, who 
worry about the spiralling costs of health care. In Vancouver, the 
costs of treating HIV infections among needle users is estimated at 
more than $215 million each year -- almost as much as the government 
spends on its strategy across the country.

And yet the federal government refuses to give strong support for 
that city's safe injection site.

Putting addicts who commit crimes to feed their habits in jail does 
nothing but get them off the street for a short time and into our 
already-crowded prisons.

And police crackdowns in our inner cities might temporarily drive 
away the crime and prostitution that often accompanies drug 
trafficking, but it will only expose vulnerable youth in outlying 
areas to the unscrupulous dealers in search of a "safer" marketplace.

Drugs, illegal or otherwise, have become an integral part of the way 
we live and the way we see the world.

The major difference between tobacco, alcohol, antidepressants and 
marijuana, crystal meth and heroin is that three are street drugs and 
three are not. But the potential for addiction is present in all of 
them. The demonization of drugs and drug users does nothing to 
promote understanding the complex dynamic of addictions or their 
place in our society.

If political tough talk worked, the war on drugs would have been won 
long ago. As long as there is demand for illicit drugs, dealers will 
find a way to sell them. The only way to reduce demand is through 
prevention and treatment.

Good politics doesn't always translate into good policy. And when the 
policy can be proven to do more harm than good, it's time for voters 
to take a long hard look at why governments persist in a course of 
action detrimental to the public's health.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine