PUBLIC-HEALTH POLICY BETTER APPROACH THAN PUNISHING YOUTH FOR MARIJUANA

If we want to be serious about enacting drug policy to protect young
Canadians, we have to reconsider and stop Bill C-15 that will now go
back to the House of Commons.

The amendments the Senate made to Bill C-15 hardly "soften" the
legislation, especially when considering how many of the Senate
committee witnesses called for the bill to be dropped entirely.

This is a deeply flawed bill, and if passed into law, it will force
Canada to continue to invest disproportionately in criminally
enforcing drug prohibition, instead of investing in a public
health-based model. This approach provides realistic solutions of
education and harm-reduction measures.

Canadian drug policy is traditionally enacted in the name of
protecting youth but it is aimed at punishing youth for what is a
socially accepted practice. This bill will not protect youth from the
dangers of drug use or organized crime. Mandatory minimum sentences
have shown they do not deter drug use, and drug-free zone policies
have shown to be ineffective and expensive.

I work with Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a youth and
student-run organization telling the government to "just say no" to
bad drug policy and drop Bill C-15.

Caleb Chepesiuk,

Ottawa

Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy