DRUG WARS

Regarding your May 15th editorial, cracking down on illegal drugs is
easier said than done. Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs
while demand remains constant only increase the profitability of drug
trafficking. For addictive drugs like heroin, a spike in street prices
leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed
desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime.

The good news is that Canada has already adopted many of the common
sense harm reduction interventions first pioneered in Europe. The bad
news is that Canada's southern neighbor continues to use its
superpower status to export a dangerous moral crusade around the
globe. The U.S. provides tragic examples of anti-drug strategies that
are best avoided.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control researchers estimate that 57 per cent
of AIDS cases among women and 36 per cent of overall AIDS cases in the
U.S. were linked to injection drug use or sex with partners who inject
drugs. This easily preventable public health crisis is a direct result
of zero tolerance laws that restrict access to clean syringes.

Can Canada afford to emulate the harm maximization drug policies of
the former land of the free and current record holder in citizens
incarcerated?

Sincerely, Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy