KUDOS TO THE POLICE FOR TRYING, BUT THE 'WAR ON DRUGS' MODEL IS STILL
A FAILURE

It was interesting to learn in last week's Castlegar News that the
RCMP will be expanding their role by providing educational services in
the public schools with their new initiative, the "Charter of
Commitments and Principles."

Their effort to connect with the universities and become a more
visible entity in our school system appears to be a benefit to
communities. This format has been endorsed by school boards, business,
and social organizations that would like to see some positive outcomes
for integrating young people into our society. Considering the amount
of "dysfunction" manifesting as violence, which the RCMP must deal
with, it is not surprising that they would like to participate in the
area of social development.

Educational programs are a primary way to teach people how to cope
with new situations, change anti-social behavior, and reduce crime.
Multiple studies have determined that the most cost effective and
efficient way to deal with drug and alcohol abuse is through a
prevention and treatment program. Contrasting this control and
rehabilitation model is our present policy of drug prohibition that
has proven to be the most costly and least effective way to address
the issues of drug use.

The wisdom of using a prevention and treatment model of drug education
is evidenced in the way our cultural view of tobacco has changed. When
the cost of associated diseases caused by tobacco became unbearable,
educational programs based on medical studies were published. Tobacco
distribution was subsequently controlled rather than criminalized.
People learned about the health hazards and took responsibility for
their actions. Many stopped smoking and those that are still addicted
are offered medical help

At the present time there is an effort being made to apply this model
to managing other drugs like cannabis. There is also a growing
understanding that the historical injustice of marijuana prohibition
is based on false information. As a result, we live with a criminally
controlled violent black market that is causing far more damage than
any drug.

Young people are not blind to the obvious hypocrisy of allowing some
dangerous drugs to be legal, while others that cause little harm are
made illegal. Organizations like Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
and The Global Commission on Drug Policy are speaking out. Their
message is simple and clear, "the war on drugs is a failure, a
complete disaster, and should be brought to an end."

The lack of clear honest definition between the two models has made
the issue of drug abuse confusing for people to understand. Contrary
to better judgment, the Conservative government's "tough on crime"
policy is promoting the failed model by propagating fear, making more
laws, and using our tax dollars to build more prisons. This poor
political leadership is unfairly forcing the RCMP into the position of
facing unnecessary dangers and undermines their ability to improve
their public image.

We commend the RCMP for their effort to keep our communities safe.
Until we are willing to care enough to change the laws that
criminalize personal choice, the RCMP will remain hampered by their
required support of the failed prohibitionist model. I agree with Cpl.
Kooiman's statement, "If kids feel cared about by their parents and
their community and school ... they have a good possibility of
succeeding in life."

This is an invitation for us all to be more involved in the education
of our children.

The negative results of drug abuse have been a concern for way too
long. Like it or not, our society is saturated with many substances
that can be defined as addictive. From the beginning of history,
humanity has chosen to use alcohol and other drugs to achieve specific
goals like stopping pain or enhancing pleasure.

As responsible adult care-givers, I believe we can work together to
sort out the truth from the fiction and provide our children with the
clear understanding and guidance they need for exercising good
judgment when it comes to responsible drug use.

Steve Clement

Castlegar