ILLICIT DRUG CHARGES CLIMB TO 30-YEAR HIGH

Overall Crime Rate Drops to 30-Year Low

Canada's illicit-drug problem hit a 30-year high in 2007, with
marijuana leading the way but losing ground to cocaine, ecstasy,
crystal meth and date-rape drugs.

Statistics Canada reported Wednesday the increase in drug crimes
reported to police, which reached more than 100,000, coincided with
the overall crime rate hitting a 30-year low.

The agency speculated that a police crackdown on drugs could be
responsible for the opposite trends, along with a decade-old change in
federal law that cast more drugs as illicit and made drug production a
crime.

"Police may focus law enforcement efforts more on addressing
drug-related crimes when time, resources and priorities permit," said
the report. "It is also possible that legislative changes may affect
the drug offence rate by criminalizing certain behaviours that were
not previously considered to be a crime."

Statistics Canada, citing a recent national study, also said that the
increase could be attributed to more people using illicit drugs in
recent years.

In 2007, the national drug-crime rate reached 305 cases per 100,000
population, building on 15 years of steady growth.

British Columbia retained its 30-year ranking as the country's drug
capital. In 2007, the rate in B.C. was more than double that in
Saskatchewan, the next highest province.

Vancouver was Canada's most concentrated drug centre, followed by
Victoria, Abbotsford, B.C., and then Trois-Rivieres and Gatineau, both
in Quebec.

Adults were more likely than young people to be caught with drugs. But
youths, comprising 19 per cent of cases, were catching up in 2007.

The number of teens under 18 caught with illegal drugs more than
doubled in a decade, while the rate of adults who were charged
increased 32 per cent.

"This increase corresponds with an increase in drug use among youth,"
said the report.

Statistics Canada also said that almost half of all drug charges in
2007 were stayed, withdrawn, or dismissed.