Pubdate: Thu, 22 Apr 2010
Source: Outlook, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2010 Black Press
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/o9Mc9WZ6
Website: http://www.northshoreoutlook.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1433
Author: Rebecca Aldous

WESTON'S BILL TARGETING ILLEGAL DRUG PRODUCTION PASSES

West Vancouver MP John Weston's push to make buying legal products 
for drug production a criminal offence is one step closer to becoming 
a reality.

In November 2009, Weston first introduced his private members' bill 
to make it illegal to buy over-the-counter products to make crystal 
meth or ecstasy. On April 14, the bill unanimously passed second 
reading in the House of Commons.

"This is the first time a private members' bill in this parliament 
session got unanimous support," Weston said.

The bill attempts to attack the problem of these methamphetamines at 
is source, Weston said, noting that the ingredients for many of these 
drugs are found in cold medications. With three children at home, the 
oldest being 13, Weston said he wants to make sure they and other 
children don't become the targets of drug dealers.

"We are hoping it could become law this year," Weston said.

In Weston's statement to parliament he pointed to the 2007 
U.S.-Canada Drug Threat Assessment, which reported "effective U.S. 
legislation restricting the purchase of precursor chemicals" was 
successful in cutting back cross-border drug smuggling.

"We need the provisions of this bill not only to allay the fears of 
our biggest trading partner, but more importantly to protect our 
families and our children," Weston told parliament.

While NDP Vancouver East MP Libby Davies welcomed the bill, she 
warned the larger picture can not be ignored. Reliance on enforcement 
and approaches that focus on the criminal code are not going to solve 
the major issues Canadians face with drug addictions, she told parliament.

Canada spends approximately 73 per cent of its drug policy budget on 
enforcement, while 14 per cent goes toward treatment, seven percent 
heads for research and 2.6 per cent is put toward harm reduction, she said.

"One thing that really concerns us is that we have seen from the 
current government an overemphasis on enforcement," Davies said. 
"This bill would very much be a part of that."

The fact that the bill does not name the products and that the 
various substances used in making these drugs are so readily 
available makes enforcement challenging, she noted.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart