CANADA'S DRUG STRATEGY A FAILURE, REPORT CLAIMS

Canada's drug strategy has failed to reduce many of the most deadly
consequences associated with illicit drug use, according to a new
report published by the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.

The report, published in the HIV/AIDS Policy and Law Review,
critiques the Federally-funded drug strategy renewed in 2003. The
authors conclude that the strategy has focused overwhelmingly on
anti-drug enforcement and supply-reduction initiatives, which the
authors claim have failed to reduce the availability of and demand
for illegal drugs, and which, in many cases, exacerbate drug-related
harms. At the same time, Canada's drug strategy has neglected new and
innovative harm-reduction methods, such as needle exchange programs
and Vancouver's safe-injection site, which have proven to be
effective. The report goes on to argue that there is a lack of
leadership, coordination, accountability, and clearly defined targets
and goals against which the effectiveness of the strategy could be measured.

According to the report, in the first half of 2005, "over 20 per cent
of newly recorded HIV infections in Canada were associated with
injection drug use." Of these, it is believed that a large percentage
of new infections are acquired in prison. Aboriginal people appear to
be particularly affected.

In addition to the health risks associated with drug use,
drug-related harms present a considerable economic burden to
Canadians. In 2002, national health care costs directly related to
illicit drug use were estimated to be over $1.13 billion. Also, sick
days taken as a result of illicit drug use are estimated to have cost
$21 million in lost income in that same year.

Again in 2002, policing costs and correctional services costs
associated with illicit drug use combined are estimated to have
totaled over $2 billion. Despite these efforts, drug consumption
rates in 2002 were found to have been higher than ever recorded.
Rather than reducing the supply and demand for illegal drugs, the
authors argue that anti-drug enforcement activities increase many of
the harms associated with drug use by destabilizing markets, leading
to increased levels of violence and unsafe injection practices.
Destabilized markets also disperse drug scenes, further separating
drug users from health and prevention services.

Multiple reports from the Auditor General of Canada (2001), the
Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs (2002), and Special
Committee on Non-Medical Use of Drugs (2002) have called for greater
coordination of efforts to address problems related with substance
abuse, and for better accounting and responsibility.

In spite of all this, in 2004-2005, 73 per cent of actual Federal
drug strategy expenditures went to enforcement tactics. The remaining
27 per cent was divided up between treatment (14 per cent),
coordination and research (7 per cent), prevention (3 per cent), and
harm-reduction (3 per cent). The Federal government refused to extend
Vancouver's safe injection site --- the only one in North America ---
beyond its initial pilot phase, claiming that there is a lack of
understanding around the impacts of the facility. Needle exchanges
are only available in 14 communities in British Columbia.
Furthermore, no reports or evaluations of the effectiveness of the
strategy have been made available. Addictions Foundation of Manitoba
CEO John Borody agreed with the author's conclusions. He said that
the emphasis on enforcement methods of combating drug use in Canada
follows the focus of many international policy leaders out of the
United States and the United Nations. He also stated that term
lengths for most governments have an influence on the kinds of
measures governments are willing to take in dealing with drug related problems.

"When you look at governments and how long they're in power, they're
trying to have an impact on this within the time they're in power,
which is usually in four-year stints. And when you're talking about
prevention activity, you're talking about a longer-term strategy. You
might not see dramatic changes in four years."

The AFM, which operates a needle exchange program on Sherbrook Street
across from the Misericordia Urgent Care Centre, takes a
harm-reduction perspective, Borody said.

"I think one of the good things about (Canada's drug strategy) is
that it started a national discussion around what they call the
framework of that strategy, and it brought a lot of us together to
start looking at how we can be a part of this, which they never had
before," Borody said. He went on to say that where the Federal
government can help now is in the area of leadership, by setting the
overall direction for dealing with drug related issues. He also said
that the Federal government should make more resources available to
the provinces to develop local strategies for dealing with illicit drug use.

In the words of the report's own authors: "Canada's Drug Strategy's
stated overarching goal is to reduce harms associated with substance
use, yet the strategy makes no provisions to ensure availability of
key services, such as needle exchange, on a country-wide basis."