SENATE EYES FUTURE

VICTORIA - Canada's unelected Senate, a body not generally known for
cutting-edge policy insights, released a report recently that is as
astonishing as it is worthwhile.

Legalize marijuana, the 600-page report advises the federal government.
Canada's marijuana laws, it states, are wasting resources, both financial
and human, infringe on civil liberties and do absolutely nothing to stop
people from using it.

The critics immediately manned the barricades. Stephen Harper, the Canadian
Alliance leader, opined that, as a parent, he is sceptical of the premise
that alcohol is more harmful than marijuana, another of the report's
observations.

The ruling Liberals were too absorbed in the succession-to-the-throne
warfare to offer any meaningful response, which is a pity, since they're
the ones who could act on the senate's recommendations.

Meanwhile various newspapers positioned themselves squarely on the
editorial fence, saying that perhaps decriminalization was the answer
rather than outright legalization.

Seems to me that would nothing in terms of freeing resources for more
important things than hunting down and charging marijuana users, only to
see them get a small fine.

I don't know whether it's important in this context to say that I don't use
the stuff, but I know a lot of people who do, some of them in positions
that would surprise you.

The problem with our marijuana laws is that they are lumped in with other
drugs. And it is the United States that did the lumping.

For decades now, the U.S. has been waging a most disastrous war on drugs.
It has cost billions, destroyed lives, ruined countries and is no closer to
being won then when it started.

The war on drugs will only be won when the profit potential is removed. And
while it is perhaps politically wise not to legalize all drugs, including
heroin and cocaine, it would be desirable. But failing that, legalizing
marijuana would be the next-best thing.

The most often cited argument against legalization is that it would
increase consumption, when in fact it doesn't.

Americans consumed no less alcohol during Prohibition than before or after.
The senate report observes that regarding the use of cannabis among the
young that "we have not legalized cannabis, and we have one of the highest
rates (of usage) in the world.

"Countries adopting a more liberal policy have, for the most part, rates of
usage lower than ours, which stabilized after a short period of growth."

Legalization of drugs, on the other hand, has enormous potential. If the
profit accruing to criminal organizations is removed, users will not have
to resort to crime to feed their habit. The greatest percentage of property
crime is directly linked to drug use.

This is why decriminalization is a half-measure that will not achieve
anything. While those caught with marijuana will get away with the
equivalent of a traffic fine, but not get a criminal record, the sale of
cannabis will remain illegal, which means that distribution in the hands of
criminal cartels will not be affected.

According to the senate report, 90 per cent of spending related to drugs is
spent on enforcement, leaving only 10 per cent for addiction treatment and
the like.

While legalization of all drugs might be a more constructive alternative to
the war on drugs which is leading nowhere, it would probably also spell
political suicide for the government implementing such a policy.

Which makes it all the more important to do the possible as a first step:
the legalization of marijuana.

To be sure, the U.S. would be jumping up and down and perhaps even threaten
certain economic sanctions, but hey, now is as good a time as any to tell
Uncle Sam to take a hike with its war on drugs.

For the next six to 12 months or so the Bush administration will be so busy
getting rid of Saddam that it might not even notice what we're doing.