WRONG DRUG WAR

IN the context of Conservative party thinking, the anti-drug strategy
unveiled by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Winnipeg on Thursday was
a fairly reasonable one.

It did not, as had been widely speculated in the eastern media, target
users. Rather, it holds out a helping hand to them, offering both
assistance and solace. It does not close the door on safe injection
sites for drug users, such as the one that exists in Vancouver,
although it does not open it any wider either. The Tories had planned
to close that site, but Health Minister Tony Clement, in the face of
protests, rendered the issue moot by granting it a six-month extension
to allow for further research just days before Mr. Harper's
announcement.

That cleared the field for the big guns of the new drug war -- tough
new measures to crack down on suppliers and dealers. Noting that there
were no minimum sentencing provisions for "producing and trafficking
dangerous drugs like methamphetamines and cocaine," Mr. Harper said:
"These are serious crimes; those who commit them should do serious
time." There will be laws brought forward by his government to that
effect, he said.

Despite the tough talk, the $63.8 million anti-drug strategy that Mr.
Harper announced on Thursday sensibly targets most of those millions
on prevention and cure rather than punishment. Treatment services for
drug abusers will get $32.2 million; $10 million will go towards
education; and only $21.6 million will go to beefing up law
enforcement efforts to crack down on production and dealing.

There is nothing really wrong with this policy, although the Liberals
and especially the NDP are making foolishly indignant noises. Crack
down on dealers, help users, provide therapy --what's to object to?
Unfortunately, it also is not a very useful policy. It will make
little difference in Canada's drug climate -- more crowded prisons,
slightly busier rehab centres, that's it.

What needs to be changed is the approach to illegal drugs. Canada
needs to take the trade out of the hands of organized crime, out of
the purview of petty criminals, and regulate its sale and use. That
would eliminate the criminal element of the problem, and put the
health problem front and centre where it can be openly dealt with.
Unfortunately, no serious political party has the courage to campaign
on that today.