MP 'SENDING OUT WRONG MESSAGE'

Since all drugs are harmful, distinguishing between the use of hard and soft drugs is largely futile, treatment and prevention specialists said this week.

They were responding to comments made in the House of Assembly by PLP MP Delaey Robinson, who on Friday voiced his opposition to new mandatory drug tests for parliamentarians. He told the House that it was inevitable young people would experiment with drugs, and that it was better they chose soft rather than hard drugs.

While he did not come out and support the decriminalization of marijuana, saying he did not want to encourage any drug use, Mr. Robinson questioned the notion that marijuana leads to harder drugs. And he said it was too severe a penalty for those convicted of possession of marijuana to be put on the U.S. stop list.

National Drug Commission chief executive officer Dr. Derrick Binns, stressing that he did not want to get embroiled in a political debate, said distinctions should be avoided as all drugs were both mind and behaviour altering.

He did agree, however, that being placed on the stop list had caused problems for a number of Bermudians. But it was a matter beyond the control of local authorities.

The U.S. denies entry to “any known drug user,” he said. “But this is not something created and maintained by Bermuda, it is under the U.S. Immigration Act. The U.S. decides who is allowed to enter their borders. But this does have a significant impact upon us as it is a major gateway for Bermudians.”

On the question of whether or not marijuana leads to other drugs, there are no definitive answers, says director of Focus Counselling Sandra Butterfield, who has 10 years' experience in drug treatment. “There is no across the board answer,” she said.

While many “older” individuals had not moved on to other drugs — even after decades of marijuana use — Ms. Butterfield was quick to add that the growing trend was for people to try a number of illegal substances.

“It really depends on the individual's biological make-up, their psyche and how they respond to the drugs,” adds Dr. Binns. “The NDC does not support decriminalization of marijuana.

But my suspicion is that marijuana is treated differently than harder drugs when you compare sentencing with offences relating to cocaine and heroin. But that is up to the discretion of the judiciary, working within the law.

“We at the NDC are most interested in encouraging people to live a healthy lifestyle and not impact your body and mind with substances. We work to decrease the use of any substances that will alter the way people think and feel and particularly those that will cause harm to people — which all substances do.”

Long-time advocate of zero tolerance to drugs and former Collector of Customs Gerry Ardis said “under no circumstances can you deal with marijuana any differently than heroin or cocaine.

“It is a slippery slope once you start that game.

“It is a well-proven path that many people — although not all — start experimenting with soft drugs, but then they graduate from that. It is my view that all drugs should be kept out of Bermuda by any means possible.”

Mr. Ardis added that Mr. Robinson's comments were “inappropriate” and “sending the wrong message” to Bermuda's youth.

“I don't want to get into politics but I would hope that his views don't represent the Bermuda Government of the Progressive Labour Party in general.”