'MEDICINALIZE' HARD DRUGS TO TACKLE CRIME, ADDICTION

Who is benefitting the most in Canada's war on drugs?

Well it certainly is not Canadian families, their children, or society
in general.

Why has the drug problem increased in every city, town and village in
Canada? Why has the problem gotten worse and keeps on getting worse?
Almost certainly because we are doing something really wrong.

Why aren't we changing our ways of combatting the drug problem? Almost
certainly because, besides corrupt or uncaring politicians, corrupt or
uncaring officials, money-launderers, high-level business importers,
mid-level distributors and low-level street sellers, there are other
powerful sectors of society that benefit very handsomely from the war
on drugs.

They are: police, Customs, the justice department, prison systems,
publicly supported lawyers, the social welfare department and the
enormous web of services related to and benefitting from the present
drug situation. They may mean well, but the fact is they have an
interest in maintaining the status quo.

These public sector beneficiaries have all greatly increased their
share of the public purse at the expense of basic services. In fact,
the amount of money expended on the war on drugs and related social
services would probably fix the Vancouver transit system, rebuild our
highways and health system and provided free tuition for all B.C.
college and university students.

To make our cities, towns and villages and our children safe again, we
must medicinalize hard drugs and thereby decriminalize the addict. We
must provide drugs of choice available through legitimate channels in
every community to those addicted. The drugs should be prescribed by a
physician and made available in safe clinics where the drug of choice
is administered.

By decriminalizing the addict, that person does not have to resort to
crime and prostitution to provide for their habit. This would greatly
reduce crime rates at all levels.

Because the addicts are brought within the legitimate medical system,
they will more willingly and more easily be able to access
rehabilitation. Because they are brought back into our society in a
compassionate way, they will be similar to converted smokers, and
become the most concerned anti-drug citizens.

The incentive to import drugs into Canada would become almost
non-existent, the result being a great reduction in high-level crime
and money laundering.

The result of changed laws and attitudes would be a society that needs
smaller police forces; a smaller more efficient justice system; fewer
publicly funded defence lawyers; a drastically reduced prison system;
less need for Customs officers; fewer people on welfare; and fewer
social workers.

Medicinalizing drugs will force the drug cartels to seek other markets
in other countries. Medicinalizing drugs means safer communities for
Canadian families. It means that down the road, government funding
can be reduced in these areas and redirected to health, education and
infrastructure.

What about marijuana? Like tobacco, marijuana is a filthy, stinking,
health-destroying habit that is pervasive and available everywhere,
including in our schools. Both tobacco and marijuana should be
available on demand at certain outlets on showing ID, provided by a
special health-insurance policy provider, paid for by tobacco and
marijuana producers. This insurance would pay out in cases of sickness
resulting from the habit.

Our police need to be equipped with a breathalyzer for both drugs and
alcohol.

Will our way of dealing with drugs ever change? It could if you elect
MLAs who have foresight and are willing to try something different,
something compassionate, something sensible.

Talk to your candidates who are going to run for office. Will the
federal government ever do something about this problem? Ask your
just-elected member.