Pubdate: Fri, 10 Feb 2012
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2012 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/letters.html
Website: http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Derek Abma
Cited: Canadian Drug Policy Coalition: http://drugpolicy.ca/

LEGALIZE DRUG USE, NEW COALITION URGES

Canada needs to give up the war on drugs and start treating drug use
as a health and social issue rather than something for the criminal
justice system to deal with, according to a policy group that was
formally launched Thursday.

The Canadian Drug Policy Coalition is, among other things, calling for
the government to decriminalize drug use and not stand in the way of
harm-reduction programs, such as safe-injection sites.

"In western legal systems, the criminal law has long been seen as the
instrument of last resort to be used when other means of social
control has failed," Eugene Oscapella, a University of Ottawa
criminology professor and member of the group's policy committee,
said. "Unfortunately, in the case of certain drugs - cannabis,
ecstasy, cocaine, heroin and hundreds of other substances for that
matter - it has been used as the principal vehicle of social control."

The coalition argued this approach does not reduce drug use, but
creates more problems such as making criminals out of drug users,
creating a lucrative black market for real criminals and pre-venting
measures that could help those struggling with addictions.

Oscapella said Bill C-10, crime legislation approved by Parliament and
under review in the Senate, would make things even worse. He estimated
that 10 per cent to 20 per cent of his students would be affected by
new provisions relating to the sharing of drugs in areas frequented by
youth.

"If, under the legislation, one of my students was to pass a tab of
ecstasy to a friend on campus - this is for no money, just sharing
with a friend - that is the offence of trafficking and it's occurring
in an area normally frequented by youth. Mandatory minimum penalty
(is) two years (in a) federal penitentiary," he said, noting that
students as young as 17 are common at university.

Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, in response to this group's
assertions, said the government's drug policies are focused on
penalizing drug dealers, not users.

"We are not looking to go after substance-abuse victims or
experimenting teenagers," he said. "We are making no changes to the
laws with regards to simple possession. The Safe Streets and
Communities Act goes after the source of the illicit drug trade - the
drug traffickers."

Other countries' failed experiences should be proof that a
lawenforcement-focused approach to drug policy does not work,
coalition members said. Oscapella said the U.S. has spent about $1
trillion on its "war on drugs" since 1971. Donald MacPherson, director
of the coalition, added that 50,000 people in Mexico have been killed
by drug cartels since the government there tried to crack down on them
in 2006.
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