POT REPORT RIGHT ON THE MARK

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.