SAVING PEOPLE OR MONEY?

Legalizing Drugs

Retired judge Jerry Paradis and retired police officer Tony Smith
believe that drugs are not as problematic as the money spent to combat them.

On Saturday, Nov. 3, both men spoke to an almost full auditorium at
Chatelech Secondary School about their beliefs.

Moderated by CBC Radio's Mark Forsyth, the event was brought to
Sechelt by Capilano College's Eldercollege program as part of a free
public speaking forum presenting diverse topics for community dialogue.

Paradis and Smith explained to an audience of mostly older adults how
their experiences within law enforcement and the justice system in
dealing with the outcomes of alcohol, drug addictions, crime and the
ineffectiveness of the current war on drugs have fuelled their belief
that prohibition is a costly and ineffective way to fight illegal drugs.

Both men are members of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) an
American organization with a membership of 8,000, comprised mostly of
former judges and police officers.

Unlike municipal departments, Smith said the RCMP is funded by money
through the federal law enforcement program. "People fear drugs, but
something to fear far more is alcohol," Smith said. "From late night
accidents to riots - these can all be blamed on alcohol. You never
hear of a coke riot or a pot riot or even a crack riot."

Before becoming a judge in 1975, Paradis spent nine years as defence
council. He said through his experiences, the current approach to
drugs was absurd.

"The first duty of a government is the health, safety and security of
their citizens," said Paradis. "The war on drugs and the massive
amount of money being spent fighting drugs and not getting anywhere
is a government that is not fulfilling its duty to its citizens."

Both Paradis and Smith said their main message is that Canada's
Americanized approach to fighting drugs hasn't worked in the U.S. and
isn't working in Canada - evidenced, they said by the current rate of
drug-related violence. Both men believe simply de-criminalizing drugs
isn't enough. There has to be legalization, taxation and control by
making the drugs available in a monitored context.

"Crystal meth doesn't kill," said Paradis, adding he doubted very
much that there would be a rise in the use of drugs like crack
cocaine, heroine or crystal meth if they were suddenly legal. "If
people aren't doing the drugs now, they won't do them just because they can."

"Crystal meth is practically identical to the Ritalin people give
their kids now . the problem is that it's smoked," added Smith.

Sechelt Indian Band member and school district trustee Lori Dixon,
who was in the audience, said she was "frightened to hear their views."

Dixon said she's seen the destruction wrought in her community by
alcohol and by both legal and illegal use of drugs - a devastation
she said isn't experienced only by First Nations people, but by many
marginalized people and new immigrants as well.

"I have a problem with your talk about legalizing drugs," said Dixon,
adding one of her major concerns was their lack of mention to any
policies around legalizing drugs.

"I'm not here to propose policy," said Paradis. "The way we've
handled the situation so far hasn't solved any of those problems."

Dixon interjected that she couldn't imagine how much worse the
situation would be if drugs were readily, easily and legally accessible.

Neither Paradis or Smith were able to provide details on what they
thought the outcome might be if the first step in their fight against
prohibition was legalizing drugs before well funded supports,
addictions services and programs were firmly in place.