Pubdate: Wed, 18 Sep 2002
Source: Grand Forks Gazette (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Sterling Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.sterlingnews.com/Forks
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/525
Author: Hubert Beyer

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.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens