Pubdate: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 Source: National Post (Canada) Copyright: 2002 Southam Inc. Contact: http://www.nationalpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286 Author: Dan Gardner Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n2286/a07.html Alert: Please Help Canadians Understand What We Really Believe http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0258.html Bookmarks: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) http://www.mapinc.org/people/Dan+Gardner POTHEADS IN POWER While I respect Jack Granatstein's opinions in other matters, he clearly needs to learn more about drug policy (Potheads in Power, Dec. 17). In Canada, three-quarters of all drug offences involve marijuana. A little more than half of all drug offences involve possession of pot. By one estimate, Canada spends $1-billion a year on drug-law enforcement and yet, according to the auditor-general and many other informed sources, the government has little evidence to show what all that spending is accomplishing. Imagine setting up one gun registry a year, every year, for decades, and you have some idea of the folly of the status quo. Europeans understand this, which is why marijuana prohibition is being eased out across most of that continent. The results are encouraging. Not only are the Europeans ceasing to waste tax dollars, but liberal marijuana policies combined with harm reduction approaches to hard drugs are reaping major social benefits. Holland, for example, has by far the most liberal drug laws in the world, and Holland also has an extremely low rate of both problem drug use and drug-related deaths. Europe combined has a rate of drug-related deaths which is less than half that in the United States -- and the European rate is stable while the American death rate has risen steadily for two decades. But Dr. Granatstein would have us stick to the American-led status quo because any change would draw the wrath of the United States and, hey, this is an unimportant subject. With money and lives at stake, he couldn't be more wrong. Dan Gardner, Kanata, Ont. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake