SENATE REPORT ON CANNABIS: GET THE WHOLE STORY

THE RESPONSE to the report of the Senate special committee on illegal drugs
has, in many ways, been just what we hoped for: informed discussion, debate
and dialogue. Indeed, let's keep it up. However, as I participate in radio
and TV shows, read letters to the editors, editorials and columnists, it has
become clear that some of what the committee said in our report either was
not heard or has been misunderstood.

First, we do not endorse recreational drug use of any kind. We would prefer
to see a drug-free society, just as we would love to see world peace; but we
are realistic enough to know that we will not likely see it in our lifetime.

The premise of our report is that in a free society such as ours, citizens
should have the right to make their own informed decisions on their own
behaviour, as long as it does not inordinately harm others. And we found
that cannabis falls into that category. It is less harmful to individuals
and to others than tobacco or alcohol, so let's treat it in a similar way.
Certainly, we found no good reason for Canadians to have a criminal record
for personal recreational use of marijuana.

There has also been a lot of controversy around our report regarding a legal
limit of age 16. The committee recommended an age limit for legal
consumption at 16 as an absolute minimum age, based on the scientific
findings that the human brain is developed enough by then not to be
physically harmed. In other words, we recommend that the authorities not
legalize cannabis for use below the age of 16. Appropriate authorities may
well have good reason to determine that another age above 16 would be best.
That is why we want the key federal and provincial players to initiate
meetings with other health and community stakeholders to determine an
acceptable age, among many other issues.

A lot has been said about messages being sent. Before we send messages, we
should have an intelligent debate about what the messages should be. One
political leader even said he would prefer his children consume alcohol
rather than smoke cannabis. Wrong message! Again, this report is not about
comparing the merits of cannabis to other substances, but about whether
otherwise law-abiding Canadians should be persecuted, prosecuted and
penalized by the criminal justice system for consuming a substance proven to
be relatively benign.

We believe that education, treatment and prevention are the ways to deal
with any problems that use of tobacco, alcohol or cannabis may cause, not
prohibition and criminalization. So, if you are working to keep your kids
from taking drugs, there is much in our report to help you.

Just as disturbing have been the attacks dismissing our report from some of
the organizations that represent the police community. Yet we considered
their advice carefully. We simply don't completely agree with them. At the
same time, our report addresses specific issues raised by the police, such
as calling for a national drug policy, national adviser and effective
research co-ordination, and recommending that the legal blood-alcohol level
be reduced to .04 from .08 when in the presence of cannabis.

Finally, there is the ridiculous notion that the conclusions of our report
in some way promote or advance criminal activity or support terrorism.
Currently, organized crime enjoys vast profits from the sale of illicit
drugs. Legalization takes the production and distribution of cannabis
products out of the hands of organized crime. Profits would go to
shareholders, not terrorists or gang members.

Perhaps most important of all, buyers would not be purchasing the product
from someone who is also selling crack cocaine or heroin. If there is any
"gateway effect" that can be attributed to cannabis, it's the fact that
buyers, especially young people, are exposed to these dealers who stand to
gain far more from pushing much more highly addictive substances on their
customers than they do from selling cannabis.

We think Canadians are quite capable of making a wise choice with respect to
cannabis policy. It is quite clear that they are more than willing to debate
the issue. I hope our report continues to provide the information and ideas
to help Canada to a new policy of healing and dignity, rather than the
degradation and despair created by our current prohibitionist policy.

Senator Pierre-Claude Nolin chaired the Senate's special committee on
illegal drugs. Its report, Cannabis: Our Position for a Canadian Public
Policy, can be found at http://www.parl.gc.ca/illegal-drugs.asp.