RETIRED POLICEMAN FAVOURS DIFFERENT DRUG STRATEGY

The banning of street drugs creates an environment that makes
criminals rich and has more victims than if drugs were legalized.

That's the message retired Vancouver police officer Tony Smith will be
sharing at this year's Alberta Harm Reduction Conference at the Capri
Hotel on March 26 and 27.

Smith is a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), a
non-profit organization of former judges, prosecutors, federal agents
and police officers from around the world, which argues drugs should
be legalized and taxed similar to alcohol.

"Right now it's easier for school kids to get drugs than it is to get
alcohol because alcohol distribution is controlled," Smith said.

More than 350 people from around the province are expected to attend
the conference, which focuses on ways to help and support drug addicts.

"Harm reduction is about keeping people alive and relatively healthy
until they are ready to go into treatment," said organizer Jennifer
Vanderschaeghe, executive director of the Central Alberta AIDS Network
Society.

"You can't detox if you're dead."

Retired from the force after 28 years, Smith argues legalizing drugs
would take control out of the hands of dangerous criminals who have no
intention of helping addicts quit.

"Right now the criminals are getting ridiculously rich dealing drugs,
they have no motivation to stop," he said. "When officers finally
catch a dealer, it's not a win for police, it's a job opening."

Smith said legalizing drugs would also eliminate the "turf wars" that
are often connected with dealing.

He insists that legalizing drugs would not create more addicts.

"Most people know that drugs are dangerous and are not going to start
just because they can," he said.

Instead of pouring billions of dollars into efforts to catch drug
dealers, Smith believes government could put that money towards
treatment programs for addicts.

"We've been fighting the war on drugs for decades and we're not
getting anywhere," he said.

"We need to look at other options"

For more information on the conference visit: www.albertaharmreduction.ca