Pubdate: Thu, 14 May 2009 Source: National Post (Canada) Copyright: 2009 Canwest Publishing Inc. Contact: http://www.nationalpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286 Author: Janice Tibbetts, Canwest News Service CANADIAN DRUG OFFENCES HIT 30-YEAR HIGH Use By Youth Increases (CNS) - Canada's illicit-drug problem hit a 30-year high in 2007, with marijuana leading the way but losing ground to cocaine, Ecstasy, crystal meth and date-rape drugs. Statistics Canada reported yesterday the increase in drug crimes reported to police, which reached more than 100,000, coincided with the overall crime rate hitting a 30-year low. The agency speculated that a police crackdown on drugs could be responsible for the opposite trends, along with a decade-old change in federal law that cast more drugs as illicit and made drug production a crime. "Police may focus law enforcement efforts more on addressing drug-related crimes when time, resources and priorities permit," said the report. "It is also possible that legislative changes may affect the drug offence rate by criminalizing certain behaviours that were not previously considered to be a crime." Statistics Canada, citing a recent national study, also said that the increase could be attributed to more people using illicit drugs in recent years. In 2007, the national drug-crime rate reached 305 cases per 100,000 population, building on 15 years of steady growth. British Columbia retained its 30-year ranking as the country's drug capital. In 2007, the rate in B. C. was more than double that in Saskatchewan, the next highest province. Vancouver was Canada's most concentrated drug centre, followed by Victoria, Abbotsford, B. C., and then Trois-Rivieres and Gatineau, both in Quebec. Adults were more likely than young people to be caught with drugs. But youths, comprising 19% of cases, were catching up in 2007. The number of teens under 18 caught with illegal drugs more than doubled in a decade, while the rate of adults who were charged increased 32%. "This increase corresponds with an increase in drug use among youth," said the report. Statistics Canada also said that almost half of all drug charges in 2007 were stayed, withdrawn, or dismissed. "Drug-related cases are less likely to result in conviction than cases in general," said the study. Cannabis accounted for two-thirds of all reported drug crimes and 75% were for possession, 13% for trafficking and 11% for production. Cocaine was the second illicit drug of choice, comprising 25% of charges. About half were for possession and half for trafficking. The category of "other" drug offences, however, was the fastest growing because it encompasses an explosion in synthetic drugs, mainly in Western Canada. Statistics Canada noted that a little more than half of adults who were convicted of drug trafficking were incarcerated for an average of 278 days. For possession, 16% were jailed for an average of nine days. - --- CRIME RATES Total police-reported drug offences, by census metropolitan area in 2007: 500,000 OR MORE POPULATION Vancouver 14,407 Toronto 12,132 Montreal 7,563 Edmonton 2,437 Quebec 2,090 Ottawa 1,915 Calgary 1,891 Hamilton 1,325 Winnipeg 1,151 100,000 TO LESS THAN 500,000 POPULATION Victoria 1,596 London 1,211 Kitchener 1,210 Gatineau, Que. 1,120 Halifax 1,029 Windsor 968 Saskatoon 873 St. Catharines-Niagara 650 Thunder Bay 355 Saint John, N. B. 339 Kingston 319 Regina 345 St. John's, N. L. 257 - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom