LEGALIZING POT IS A MISTAKE

Marijuana use and abuse is often at the forefront of social discussion
these days.

Options being discussed include legalize it, control it, decriminalize or
partially decriminalize it.

To appropriately address what to do, perhaps it is useful to consider some
of the circumstances that contribute to the current dilemma.

The West Coast has historically dealt with a drug abuse problem that
transcends the rest of Canada's, partially due to our favourable climate
which allows an addict to live on the street somewhat more comfortably than
elsewhere.

It has also been argued that the availability of drugs has been influenced
by our proximity to the United States and the fact that Vancouver is a
major port city.

Illegal drug use was not widespread when I began my policing career in
rural Alberta in 1961, but this soon changed. By the mid-'70s illegal drug
use across Canada was common and the major influence of British Columbia
and the Vancouver area on Canadian drug statistics was brought home for me
during a drug study I was involved with. While stationed in Ottawa and
attending Carleton University, I was involved in an independent study with
the non-medical use of drugs directorate of Health and Welfare Canada.

My task was to update a statistical analysis of drug use in Canada. The
statistics appeared to show heroin trends levelling off in Canada during
the five years since the previous review, but when looked at on a
province-by-province basis, British Columbia showed a marked decline while
the rest of the country was rising.

But further review revealed that a large number of heroin addicts,
primarily in the Vancouver area, were being treated in a methadone program.
Because British Columbia could lay claim to about 50 per cent of the heroin
users in Canada at that time, the national drug statistics were severely
affected.

The non-medical use of drugs directorate library also provided research
material regarding the physiological effects of various substances.

Marijuana was rated about four times as damaging as tobacco. When dirty
needles and questionable concentration and quality were factored out,
little physiological damage was attributed to heroin but it was considered
highly addictive. Cocaine was rated high in terms of both its addictive and
physiological qualities.

While I claim no medical expertise, a review of recent reports indicates
that the situation has changed little.

Those who support legalization point to prohibition and suggest that
organized crime is involved only due to the high profits in dealing illegal
substances. Profit is undoubtedly a catalyst, however, there is a
considerable difference in the harm brought about by alcohol and that which
is involved with illegal drugs including marijuana. To seriously consider
legalization, any approach would have to involve at least Canada and the
United States acting together.

There is already a negative impact on our drug program due to Canada's
weaker approach to enforcement.

Drugs used during medical treatment provide considerable benefit to
society. First-aid preparations, pain reliever, antihistamines and the like
are sold over the counter and left to consumer control. A second class of
drugs is subject to medical control. This is a reasonable approach
considering most of us do not have the understanding about side-effects,
drug interactions, allergic reactions and addictive qualities to properly
govern our own use of such substances. Do we really wish to bypass such
controls, particularly with young people and with a substance like marijuana?

Properly supervised, I suspect, most of us support the use of marijuana,
heroin, morphine or any other such substances for medical or therapeutic
purposes. There remains, however, a large gap between the therapeutic or
medical use of a substance and use for the purpose of simply getting high.

It is general knowledge - at least in police circles - that those who
experiment with one drug are more likely to experiment with another and,
even dating back to the LSD craze, there is ample evidence of various drugs
being introduced to individuals without their knowledge or consent.

Most recently, crystal meth has been combined with other drugs for the
express purpose of addicting people for financial gain.

Crystal meth seems to combine all the addictive and physiological concerns
of other illegal drugs and is a major concern in North and West Vancouver.

We have a responsibility to future generations. Given the propensity for
harm, we must maintain our stance against the illegal use of drugs, educate
where possible and provide timely and appropriate treatment. Marijuana,
like most illegally used drugs, is addictive and causes considerable tissue
damage.

Particularly given the increase in THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) levels in
marijuana in recent years and the United States' stance about it, I think
that any move towards legalization would be a serious mistake.