LIBERALIZING DRUG LAWS HAD TRAGIC OUTCOMES OVERSEAS

Editor, the News:

Robert Sharpe's letter of June 22, 2002 is filled with all the standard
propaganda used by those who wish to liberalize Canada's drug law. None of
the assertions in his letter, however, stand up to scrutiny.

The liberalized drug laws in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Frankfurt,
Germany, contrary to laudatory comments about them by Mr. Sharpe, have
resulted in tragic outcomes. For example, one of the consequences of the
liberal drug policy in Switzerland is that Swiss adolescents now use more
drugs per capital than adolescents in any other country in Western Europe.
The Netherlands liberalized drug experience in 1976 and this has caused
that country to become the drug capital of Western Europe, not just for
cannabis, but also heroine, cocaine and the synthetic drug, ecstasy. Under
these policies, cannabis use alone has increased 250%.

In fact, according to the government-financed Trimbos Institute in the
Netherlands, there has been a tripling of the number of Dutch addicts since
that country legalized its drug policies. According to Dr. Karel Frederick
Gunning, MD, in his paper, Dutch Drug Policy, the "harm reduction" Dutch
policy of containing heroin addiction through distribution of free needles
and syringes has not prevented the spread of heroin addiction at all, nor
has it curtailed drug-related crime.

The liberalized drug scene in Frankfurt has led to addicts now becoming
poly drug users injecting a mixture of heroin, cocaine and benzodiazepines.
Recent increases in cocaine use have presented other unexpected issues for
Frankfurt. Not only did addicts inject more often, they are also more
aggressive.

Mr. Sharpe is also incorrect when he asserts zero tolerance on drugs in the
US is a failure. In fact, the United States' tough policy has been
immensely successful. 1998 statistics indicate the number of individuals
who use drugs dropped to 6% of the population (13.6 million) from the
previous 14% in 1979.

Moreover, free needle exchanges are no answer to the drug problem. Such
exchanges can more correctly be referred to as needle distribution sites
since relatively few needles are ever returned. The discarded needles are
used again and again off site before they are finally abandoned in streets
and alleys posing a significant risk to individuals. These needle exchanges
also become 'honey pots' or meeting points for drug users and dealers who
know that the needle exchange is a ino-goi area for police. This has led to
such areas gaining recognition as a safe area for drug dealers to operate.
Not surprisingly, this has also led to a demise of businesses in these
areas because of drug related crime.

The terrible tragedy of the needle handouts, according to the US Director
of the Drug Control Policies, Washington, D.C. is that the majority of
addicts receiving needle handouts, when offered, refuse treatment. In fact,
addicts are lured away from treatment programs through the provision of
free needles.

Finally, two comprehensive and rigorous studies have examined both the
Vancouver and the Montreal needle exchange sites. The researchers found a
high degree of needle sharing among the participants who were three times
more likely to be infected with HIV and hepatitis C as those not on the
program.

The problem with a liberalized drug policy is that drug use increases
always and everywhere when drugs are available without legal sanction. In
short, the law serves as a deterrent. To many, what is legal becomes
acceptable and once legal sanctions are removed, there is a greatly
increased use of drugs.

C. Gwendolyn Landolt

National Vice President, REAL Women of Canada