STUDY OF ILLEGAL DRUG INDUSTRIES ENVISIONED

The Association of Yukon Communities (AYC) could be asking its big brother
to look into the impacts of the illegal drug trade across the country.

Last Monday evening, city council voted to bring forward a motion for the
AYC to petition the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to commission a
study on the trend and scope of illegal drug industries across the country.
The study would also examine the cost and long-term impacts of the industry
on health care and the educational, social and legal systems in Canada.

The AYC is made up of communities throughout the territory, while the FCM
is an organization comprised of groups such as the AYC.

Each year, the AYC hosts its annual general meeting and conference in a
different community in early May. Communities may bring forward a number of
resolutions for the AYC to vote on.

This resolution was brought to council by Coun. Linda Casson. In an
interview last Wednesday, she explained that while the issue of legalizing
marijuana has been one of debate at the FCM level, illegal laboratories are
being ignored.

She pointed out that an article in MacLean's magazine told the story of a
girl who died after taking ecstasy for the first time. Casson hopes the
resolution will encourage the larger national body to look at the larger
picture.

"I'm concerned about the lack of information out there," she said. The
original resolution she brought forward to council would have also called
on the AYC to ask the FCM to postpone debate on legalizing marijuana
growing. It was deleted when Coun. Doug Graham, who attended the meeting
via conference call, said he'd support the motion if that section was taken
out. He argued the debate on marijuana has come about because of federal
government issues surrounding the legalization of the drug, and that the
FCM isn't likely to stop its own debate on the issue.

Casson said she'd be comfortable with removing the request for
postponement. She pointed out other municipalities are taking action on the
issues surrounding illegal drug industries and related issues in their
communities. "It is a municipal issue; we just haven't picked up on that
yet," she said. The resolution will go forward to the AYC in early May at
the annual general meeting in Dawson City.

Casson said if the AYC votes to proceed with it, the request would go to
the FCM during its annual gathering scheduled for June in Hamilton, Ont.