DRUG-CRIME CRACKDOWN SEEN AS HARMFUL

Scientific Evidence Cited

Increased enforcement unlikely to reduce violence or drug use, B.C.
research finds

OTTAWA - The Conservative government's efforts to crack down on drug
crimes may do more harm than good, a recent report suggests.

The study released yesterday from the British Columbia Centre for
Excellence in HIV/AIDS concludes that stepping up the enforcement of
drug laws is unlikely to reduce gang violence tied to drugs or stop
the circulation of drugs in communities.

On the contrary, the report notes that gun violence and murders are
likely a consequence of drug prohibition - and laws aimed at breaking
up drug gangs could unintentionally increase violence.

The researchers say violence emerges when organized-crime groups
compete for the massive profits made in the drug trade on the black
market.

"These findings obviously have direct relevance to recent bills that
are being proposed, including C-15, in terms of their ability to
reduce violence," said Dr. Evan Wood, one of the report's authors, at
a news conference on Parliament Hill.

"The scientific evidence clearly shows that these types of legal
manoeuvres will not reduce the flow of drugs into our communities,
they will not reduce violence and if anything, they may actually
increase violence."

Bill C-15 seeks to impose mandatory jail time for certain drug crimes
and to increase the maximum penalties for marijuana production. The
proposed law was among the bills that died when Parliament was
prorogued in December, but the federal government has said it plans to
re-introduce it.

The B.C.-based researchers conducted a scientific review of 15 studies
- - two from Australia and the rest American - related to the impact of
heightened law enforcement on violence rates. Thirteen of the studies
showed that stepping up enforcement resulted in increased rates of
drug-related violence, according to the review.

Wood said efforts in other countries, specifically the U.S. and
Mexico, to crack down on drug crimes have backfired and done little to
drive down drug use.

Justice Minister Rob Nicholson disagreed with Wood's assessment and
added that Bill C-15 is aimed at organized-crime operations.

"It's not targeted at the unfortunate individual who has become
addicted or is experimenting - we want to help that individual,"
Nicholson told reporters.

"We want to get the message out that this is not a way to live your
life."