Pubdate: Wed, 01 May 2002 Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Canada Web) Copyright: 2002 CBC Contact: http://www.cbc.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1412 Note: *VIDEO LINK*: http://vancouver.cbc.ca/clips/Vancouver/ram-lo/0200501_drugidea.ram Sean De Vries reports for CBC TV ANTI-DRUG CONFERENCE ATTRACTS CRITICS Vancouver - A Vancouver anti-drug conference is being targeted by advocates of a more permissive approach to illegal drug usage. The B.C. Marijuana Party held a rally outside the trade and convention centre, because the International Drug Education and Awareness (IDEA) symposium is not open to anyone who supports drug use. B.C. Compassion Club president Hilary Black says the conference is about oppression, not education. "The war on drugs hurt people and more tolerant drug laws allow us to deal with health concerns and deal with real problems around drugs not oppression," she says. IDEA's organizers say people like Black have dominated the discussion about drugs in recent years. "The ones who are pushing permissiveness and tolerance have had their say for four or five years and they have only presented the permissive, tolerant view, which from my point of view has no credibility." says IDEA's president Linda Bentall. Bentall says this conference will show how just how dangerous and ineffective a permissive drug policy is, and how the four pillar approach to drug awareness promoted by Mayor Philip Owen is not the answer. Many city councillors including mayoralty candidate Jennifer Clarke are showing interest in this conference, one that may reveal a shift in Vancouver's approach to drug policy. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom