IRRATIONALITY IN CANADA'S DRUG POLICY

In light of the arrest and requested extradition to the United States of
Canadian marijuana activist Marc Emery, I thought I'd talk to an expert
about Canada's drug laws and policy to find out if the government is stoned
or if I am.

Eugene Oscapella is an Ottawa Lawyer who teaches drug policy in the
department of criminology at the University of Ottawa. He is also founding
member of an independent, not for profit research group and think tank
called the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy. He was able to share his
thoughts on Canada's cannabis laws.

On Marc Emery

"I am appalled at the apparent political nature of this request for
extradition. The DEA is going after Marc Emery because he has been so
politically outspoken, and because he has been one of the principal funders
of the drug law reform movement in Canada," said Oscapella. Cutting off
funds is an effective means of censoring debate. "It is a political act to
suppress political dissent in another country," he added. The selling of
cannabis seeds has been tolerated in Canada for over 10 years.

On Canada's cannabis laws

"Our laws are an abomination. Criminalizing this activity is not only
futile but counter-productive. Politicians, who profess to be so
intelligent, cannot grasp the simple economics of prohibition. By
prohibiting something that people want, you foster a black market. This
draws criminals in to sell the product. By toughening up the laws it will
drive some of the small players out of business, and deliver

the market into the hands of larger, more violent players. Prohibition is
what makes the sale of drugs so fantastically profitable. Prohibition does
not work."

On the goals of drug policy

"The first goal in drug policy should be to prevent the loss of life. The
second goal should be to prevent the spread of disease," Oscapella told me.
This means life-saving measures to prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis
C, such as syringe-exchange programs, safe injection sites, safe crack kits
and heroin maintenance kits. "Drug policy should be designed to help treat
drug users as human beings."

On Ottawa's drug scene

"Ottawa does not have an epicentre of highly visible drug use, and we have
deluded ourselves into thinking that there is not a lot of drug use in
Ottawa. There are about 3,500 injection drug users in Ottawa. We have one
of the highest rates of HIV among injection drug users, the second highest
rate in Canada. The rate of uptake of new cases of HIV is also very high.
Ottawa has a very serious health problem pertaining to injection drug use.
The policy should also consider why these people are using the drugs in the
first place."

Because THC is not water soluble, it is not possible to inject it via
syringe and needle. Cannabis can only be smoked or eaten. THC is five times
more psychoactive when eaten and digested, as opposed to smoking. An annual
survey of Oscapella's university classes revealed that cannabis use is very
high, and virtually no other illegal substances are used.

Will the laws ever change?

"I am not holding my breath. There is outside pressure from the
administration of the United States. The best hope is that within the next
couple of years cases going through the courts will help the process of
creating new laws," said Oscapella.