CANADA SHOULD LIGHT-EN UP OVER MARIJUANA USE

RCMP marijuana eradication efforts are no doubt well-intended, but
ultimately counterproductive.

The drug war's distortion of immutable laws of supply and demand
causes big money to grow on little trees. Canadian tax dollars are
being wasted on anti-drug strategies that only make marijuana growing
more profitable.

In 2002, the Canadian Senate offered a common sense alternative to
prohibition when the Special Committee on Illegal Drugs concluded
that marijuana is relatively benign, marijuana prohibition
contributes to organized crime, and law enforcement efforts have
little impact on patterns of use.

Consider the experience of Canada's southern neighbour, the former
land of the free and current record holder in citizens incarcerated.

Based on findings that criminal records are inappropriate as health
interventions, a majority of European Union countries have
decriminalized marijuana. Despite marijuana prohibition and perhaps
because of forbidden fruit appeal, lifetime use of marijuana is
higher in the U.S. than any European country.

The short-term health effects of marijuana are inconsequential
compared to the long-term effects of criminal records.

Canada should follow the lead of Europe and just say No to the
American inqunsition.

The results of a comparative study of European and U.S. rates of drug
use can be found at:

http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/espad_pr.pdf

*MTF is funded with U.S. government grants

Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, DC