HARPER GETS TOUGH ON DRUGS, SOFT ON LOGIC

New Federal Policy Will Impose Harsh Sentences, But Do Little To Help
Those Already Addicted

Dan EpsteinSince the Conservatives took offi ce, arrests for drug
possession have gone up 20 to 50 per cent in major cities.On October
4, Steven Harper announced a new $64 million antidrug program with an
approach to drug use that closely resembles the American "war on
drugs." Given the spectacular failure of the American program, why is
Harper refusing to learn from the mistakes of our neighbours?

In his latest speech, Harper said that harm reduction for drug
addicts was not a priority for his government and that "no matter how
much harm you reduce, if you are a drug addict, you are still going
to live a short, miserable life." This is a terrible
oversimplification. Harper assumes that all drug addicts are poor and
are attempting to seek help. It is hard enough to convince people go
to needle exchange programs or safe injection sites, let alone to
rehabilitate them. Some addicts do not even know these places exist.
This is why increased promotion of safe injection sites, such as
Vancouver's Insite, HIV testing sites, and health education sites, is
necessary. Harper needs to spend money on public awareness of these
incredibly crucial resources, not remove their funding or shut them
down, both of which are distinct possibilities under his new plan.

Harper promises that someone caught selling even the smallest amount
of drugs will face harsh penalties. Frankly, doesn't the government
have better things to devote tens of millions of dollars to than
chasing around people dealing a few grams of marijuana? Wait a
minute: five years ago, wasn't there widespread support for
legalizing marijuana?

What does Harper plan to do for people with addictions that extend
beyond existing structures like the Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health? The safe drug injection site in Vancouver has proven to be an
excellent method of dealing with the city's drug problem. Providing
willing addicts with health information and illness testing, Insite
is a prime example of what the country's drug program should look
like. Needle exchanges and other such programs are also reaching
ahead and providing the country's addicts with a proper, healthy way
to do drugs, accompanied by information urging them to stop.

You cannot penalize people into not doing drugs, Mr. Harper. Experts
will tell you your proposed method is fl awed. What should be
happening is the implementation of more safe injection sites and more
needle exchanges. These sites may be taboo, but so was condom
distribution to the public when that practice was first started.
Clean syringes don't encourage drug use, they just make drug use
safe. They save lives.

I'm not suggesting putting needles in every public place, but an
increased availability and knowledge of their whereabouts would
definitely be an improvement, especially in parts of the country
where drug use is known to be high. Without harm reduction and more
education, the country's drug problem will spin out of control, and
no amount of money will save it.