Pubdate: Fri, 02 Aug 2013
Source: Guelph Mercury (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.guelphmercury.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1418
Author: Terry Field
Note: Terry Field is an associate professor and program chair of the 
journalism major in the bachelor of communication program at 
Calgary's Mount Royal University.

TRUDEAU'S MARIJUANA STANCE REFRESHING

Legalizing marijuana use in Canada could be the best way, and maybe 
the only way, to protect children inclined or forced to use the stuff.

That's the view of Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party of 
Canada, and the only Canadian political figure of note to have the 
guts to speak to the issue.

Immediately and predictably attacked by his political opponents, 
Trudeau is none the less right to suggest that we, as a society, need 
to consider new approaches to an ages old problem.

Trudeau's view is likely new to most Canadians, though he has mused 
about it publicly before. Readers might also be surprised to hear 
that many Latin American politicians and policy analysts are saying 
the same thing. Uruguay's unprecedented plan to create a legal 
marijuana market, for example, won its critical first step Wednesday 
in the country's lower house of Congress.

The issue is far too complex to address in a short column, but we can 
agree there is a need to explore alternatives to our current way of 
dealing with drugs.

Let's also allow that marijuana use will damage your health, and that 
legalization would have consequences. There is a tendency among most 
politicians and editorialists to use that argument to dismiss change 
out-of-hand, when they should be willing to at least explore the possibilities.

The argument for legalization would primarily be an acknowledgment of 
failed social policy. It is a fact, even a sad one, that human beings 
will explore the use of substances that alter their state of mind. It 
is certainly sad that many millions of North Americans live desperate 
lives as a result of overuse and resulting addiction.

The question of what is to be done about it is challenging.

It was U.S. president Richard Nixon who established the so-called 
"war on drugs" in the 1970s, which beefed up policing and military 
activities in the United States and in countries around the world 
that supplied drugs to American users.

That "war," as Trudeau rightly suggested, has been a complete, 
abject, costly, failure on all levels. Drug use is more rampant now 
than then. Highly militarized and monumentally wealthy cartels are 
also trafficking in armaments and humans, as well as drugs. Our 
response politically has been to spend even more money, only to see 
50,000-plus people killed in Mexico alone over the past half-dozen years.

Ironically, even though the United States, and by geography Canada, 
are the main markets for drugs in North America, the most active 
minds and voices on the subject are in Latin America.

As recently as May of this year, an Organization of American States 
(OAS) report concluded that governments of the hemisphere need look 
seriously at the potential value of legalizing marijuana. The OAS has 
never been known for its radical take on things, and is in fact 
highly conservative. It has been forced into taking this stance by 
its members, with Canada and the U.S. on the wrong side of the prevailing view.

Predictably, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper 
have dismissed the idea out of hand. It is mind-boggling that such 
smart men are so afraid of considering the idea, particularly when so 
many equally smart people are open to its consideration. It seems 
that Obama and Harper are satisfied with the status quo, the deaths, 
social disruption and gang violence in their communities.

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance on the planet, 
driving an underground industry in the billions. Making its use legal 
could severely impact gang activity everywhere.

Selling it as we do alcohol and cigarettes would allow for limits on 
strength and additives, and control in sales to minors. 
Tobacco-styled warnings could be put on packages, and driving under 
the influence treated severely. The billions of dollars generated in 
taxes could be used to treat addictions for all kinds of drug use and 
pay for public education campaigns.

People will continue to use drugs and our choice is to either 
continue advancing policing and military responses or to examine 
reasonably considered alternatives.

Trudeau should be applauded for having the courage to address the 
issue. It would be nice to see other Canadian policy-makers, 
political analysts, and editorialists join in a serious examination 
of the possibility and potential of change.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom