Pubdate: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2007 Times Colonist Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Jim Cooper DRUG STRATEGY REPEATS OLD FAILURES It would be wonderful to see a drug policy based on harm reduction and research, but instead it's the same old tried and proven useless "get tough" stuff. The Conservative government's anti-drug strategy will work if their objective is to fill prisons and further entrench organized crime in our communities. Otherwise, why would our elected officials keep on doing the same old things and expect different results? We have good models for dealing with other addictive substances that have enormously expensive and destructive social impacts. Let's seriously consider controlling illicit drugs just as we do tobacco and alcohol. That would divert billions of dollars from organized crime, prisons and enforcement to intelligent treatment of a public-health issue. If the Conservatives would listen to their own experts, we would be seeing a much more intelligent, evidence-based and humane drug strategy for Canadians. Jim Cooper, Duncan - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman