Injecting Drugs Is Unpleasant and Dangerous, but Drug Prohibition Makes It Worthwhile for Addicts, Writes Dan Gardner. The United Nations and national governments the world over, including Canada's, are actively promoting an epidemic. They are infecting people by the tens and hundreds of thousands. God knows how many will die. A report released this week by the Global Commission on Drug Policy isn't quite that blunt, but it comes close. "The global war on drugs is driving the HIV/AIDS pandemic among people use who drugs and their sexual partners," it concludes. "Throughout the world, research has consistently shown that repressive drug law enforcement practices force drug users away from public health services and into hidden environments where HIV risk becomes markedly elevated. Mass incarceration of non-violent drug offenders also plays a major role in increasing HIV risk. ... The war on drugs has also led to a policy distortion whereby evidence-based addiction treatment and public health measures have been downplayed or ignored." [continues 933 words]
When Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth introduced a private member's bill on the status of the fetus last week, the government was expected to distance itself. But when Conservative whip Gordon O'Connor stood to deliver the government line, he did far more than that. "I can confirm that as a member of the Conservative caucus for nearly eight years, the prime minister has been consistent with his position on abortion," O'Connor said. "As early as 2005 at the Montreal convention, and in every federal election platform since, he has stated that the Conservative government will not support any legislation to regulate abortion. While the issue may be debated by some, as in the private member's motion here tonight, I state again that the government's position is clear: It will not reopen this debate." [continues 901 words]
It's Time For Canada To Take A Sober Look At New Policies On the weekend, at the Summit of the Americas, Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed doubt about the war on drugs. "I think what everybody believes and agrees with, and to be frank myself, is that the current approach is not working, but it is not clear what we should do." It's admirable for a politician to admit uncertainty. And rare. Especially for a politician who has never expressed anything less than unshakable conviction in the Reaganite nostrums of drug prohibition. But Harper had good reason to be a little shaken. [continues 1098 words]
Last weekend's Americas summit may have marked a historic turn away from the colossal waste of decades of failed drug policy, writes DAN GARDNER. On the weekend, at the Summit of the Americas, Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed doubt about the war on drugs. "I think what everybody believes and agrees with, and to be frank myself, is that the current approach is not working, but it is not clear what we should do." It's admirable for a politician to admit uncertainty. And rare. Especially for a politician who has never expressed anything less than unshakable conviction in the Reaganite nostrums of drug prohibition. But Harper had good reason to be a little shaken. [continues 1099 words]
Many people hate the idea of clinics where people can inject illicit drugs under the supervision of nurses and counsellors. Others want them set up immediately. They include the University of Toronto researchers who recommended this week that supervised injection sites be opened in Toronto and Ottawa. Which view is more popular varies from place to place. A recent Forum Research poll found that there was even considerable variation within the city of Toronto, with a strong majority of people (62 per cent) in the downtown core in favour, while people further out are just as strongly opposed. [continues 945 words]
Many people hate the idea of clinics where people can inject illicit drugs under the supervision of nurses and counsellors. Others want them set up immediately. They include the University of Toronto researchers who recommended this week that supervised injection sites be opened in Toronto and Ottawa. Which view is more popular varies from place to place. A Forum Research poll found considerable variation within the city of Toronto, with a majority of people (62 per cent) in the downtown core in favour while people farther out are just as strongly opposed. That's life in a diverse country. If we insist on applying public policies universally, that's a problem. We will never entirely erase our disagreements, no matter how much we talk, argue and shout. And so, inevitably, when a policy is implemented, or blocked, people in some places will feel that people elsewhere have imposed their views on them. [continues 532 words]
Many people hate the idea of clinics where people can inject illicit drugs under the supervision of nurses and counsellors. Others want them set up immediately. They include the University of Toronto researchers who recommended this week that supervised injection sites be opened in Toronto and Ottawa. Which view is more popular varies from place to place. A recent Forum Research poll found that there was even considerable variation within the city of Toronto, with a strong majority of people (62 per cent) in the downtown core in favour, while people further out are just as strongly opposed. [continues 948 words]
Supposedly An Ardent Decentralist, This PM Certainly Is Bent On Centralizing What He Wants To Control The Gardner key to understanding Stephen Harper's federalism is heroin. Got your attention? Good. The word "oefederalism" tends to put people to sleep, but this is important stuff so I'll try to sex it up. Hence, heroin. There's lots of it in Vancouver's benighted downtown eastside, as there has been for decades. Law enforcement and social services tried everything they could think of to get rid of the drugs and the crime and the social blights. But things only got worse. [continues 906 words]
The Gardner key to understanding Stephen Harper's federalism is heroin. Got your attention? Good. The word "federalism" tends to put people to sleep, but this is important stuff so I'll try to sex it up. Hence, heroin. There's lots of it in Vancouver's benighted downtown eastside, as there has been for decades. Law enforcement and social services tried everything they could think of to get rid of the drugs and the crime and the social blights. But things only got worse. [continues 915 words]
You can't kill a zombie with a pen. Jab it in the eye. Spear it in the chest. It will just keep shuffling along, moaning and snarling and trying to eat your brain. Here comes one now. "To think that marijuana today is the same benign thing, or, you know, the drug that the baby boomers used to take in the 1960s, '70s, '80s, it's totally false." That's Sgt. Pat Poitevin talking. He's a Mountie who works in "drug awareness" and he made that comment in an interview with CTV News, which aired a series of alarming stories about "potent pot" last week. [continues 983 words]
In a sense, it's perfectly reasonable that the government is severely restricting the amount of time Parliament can spend discussing a long list of complex bills that have appeared at various times in various forms in the past and will now, thanks to the Conservative majority, finally become law. The government ignored informed criticisms before. It will ignore them now. So why bother? Wrap things up quickly, turn off the lights, and the government will at least save a few dollars that can be put toward future purchases of gazebos. [continues 778 words]
Let's compare and contrast statements about Insite, the supervised injection centre in Vancouver's downtown eastside neighbourhood. "The decision to implement a supervised safe injection site was the result of years of research, planning, and intergovernment co-operation," the Supreme Court of Canada wrote in a unanimous judgment. "It was launched as an experiment. The experiment has proved successful. Insite has saved lives and improved health. And it did those things without increasing the incidence of drug use and crime in the surrounding area." [continues 808 words]
Earlier this month, a panel of eminent persons released a report calling on the world's governments to dramatically change how they deal with illicit drugs. "The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world," concluded the Global Commission on Drug Policy. The 19 members of the commission include former presidents of Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil, as well legendary former United States Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, former Canadian Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour, and former secretary of state under Ronald Reagan, George Shultz. But for those who know the history of the war on drugs, and the central role played by the United Nations, the most striking name on the list is that of Kofi Annan. [continues 988 words]
It's Time Our Leaders Paid Attention to the 'Naysayers' On Thursday, a panel of eminent persons released a report calling on the world's governments to dramatically change how they deal with illicit drugs. "The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world," concluded the Global Commission on Drug Policy. The 19 members of the commission include former presidents of Colombia, Mexico and Brazil, as well legendary former United States Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, former Canadian Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour, and former secretary of state under Ronald Reagan, George Shultz. But for those who know the history of the war on drugs, and the central role played by the United Nations, the most striking name on the list is that of Kofi Annan. [continues 969 words]
Once again, former UN officials and world leaders have come forward to challenge the hopeless drug policies of current UN officials and world leaders, writes Dan Gardner On Thursday, a panel of eminent persons released a report calling on the world's governments to dramatically change how they deal with illicit drugs. "The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world," concluded the Global Commission on Drug Policy. The 19 members of the commission include former presidents of Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil, as well legendary former United States Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, former Canadian Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour, and former secretary of state under Ronald Reagan, George Shultz. But for those who know the history of the war on drugs, and the central role played by the United Nations, the most striking name on the list is that of Kofi Annan. [continues 983 words]
A scene that said much about Prime Minister Stephen Harper unfolded recently in the Supreme Court of Canada. At a hearing about Insite, the supervised drug-injection site in Vancouver, a lawyer representing the federal government acknowledged the facility had been granted a federal exemption from drug laws under a clause that permits scientific study. Insite is an experiment, in other words. "And it worked," observed Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin. A long list of scientific research papers in prestigious, peer-reviewed medical journals showed Insite had done exactly what it was designed to do. Overdose deaths down. Rates of HIV and hepatitis C infection down. "Lives are being saved, diseases are being prevented by this site, and are we putting too fine a point on it by saying the site has nothing to do with it?" McLachlin asked the federal lawyer. [continues 689 words]
A scene that said much about Prime Minister Stephen Harper unfolded last week at the Supreme Court of Canada. At a hearing about Insite, the supervised injection site in Vancouver, a lawyer representing the government acknowledged the facility had been granted a federal exemption from drug laws under a clause that permits scientific study. Insite is an experiment, in other words. "And it worked," observed Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin. A long list of scientific research papers published in prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals showed that Insite had done exactly what it was designed to do. Overdose deaths down. Rates of HIV and hepatitis C infection down. [continues 698 words]
A scene that said much about Prime Minister Stephen Harper unfolded last week at the Supreme Court of Canada. At a hearing about the legal status of Insite, the supervised injection site in Vancouver, a lawyer representing the federal government acknowledged the facility had been granted a federal exemption from drug laws under a clause that permits scientific study. Insite is an experiment, in other words. "And it worked," observed Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin. A long list of scientific research papers published in prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals showed that Insite had done exactly what it was designed to do. Overdose deaths down. Rates of HIV and hepatitis C infection down. [continues 829 words]
The Much-publicized Lurch To The Right Isn't Supported By What Canadians Actually Think About The Issues, Writes Dan Gardner. If you're a fan of Stephen Harper, please move along. I hope that's not rude. It's just that right now I want to talk to people who wish, as I do, that Stephen Harper would try his hand at another line of work. Something better suited to his talents and temperament. Tax auditor, perhaps. Or Mafioso. Something of that sort. [continues 1018 words]
Please allow me to put in print what an awful lot of Latin American politicians would like to say to their Canadian colleagues: You know how the illicit drug trade has plagued the countries of Latin America for decades? You know how it spreads corruption, undermines governance, and distorts economies? You know how it stacks corpses like cordwood? You know the carnage happening in Mexico right now? More than 26,000 people dead? You know all that? Good. Because you are responsible. [continues 844 words]
One can imagine how delighted the people at the Colombian Embassy were when they read the Globe and Mail last week. One article after another about their country -- and none focussed on drugs and murder. Instead, the theme was that after decades of civil war and criminal chaos Colombia has been transformed into a land of stability and optimism. The mood is "buoyant, hopeful, and utterly entrepreneurial," one story reported. Colombia is "an eco-paradise with bustling cities," another burbled. The people at the Mexican Embassy were probably much less pleased by what they read. "Suspected drug hit men stormed a private party and killed 17 people in the northern Mexican city of Torreon on Sunday in one of the deadliest attacks in Mexico's drug war," read one story. Another reported on a car bombing. Gangsters apparently dressed a bound man in a police uniform and called in a report of a wounded officer. When police, paramedics, and a doctor rushed to the man's aid, the bomb was detonated. At least three died. [continues 796 words]
It's safe to assume most people have never heard of the "Vienna Declaration." And that simple fact helps explain why public policies that fail -- policies that do vastly more harm than good -- can live on despite overwhelming evidence of their failure. The Vienna Declaration, published in the medical journal The Lancet, is an official statement of the 18th International AIDS Conference, which wraps up today in Vienna. Drafted by an international team of public health experts, including Evan Wood of the University of British Columbia, the Vienna Declaration seeks to "improve community health and safety" by, in the words of the committee, "calling for the incorporation of scientific evidence into illicit drug policies." [continues 911 words]
It's Certainly Not the Worst Crime Committed in the Name of the War on Drugs. That title probably belongs to the countless innocent people killed in botched raids. Or the police officers who died in pursuit of the impossible. Or the lives lost to easily preventable overdoses and blood-borne diseases. Or the funding handed to thugs, terrorists and guerrillas. Or the civil liberties eroded, the corruption fostered, the chaos spread. Or maybe it belongs to the hundreds of billions of dollars governments have squandered in a mad, futile and destructive crusade. [continues 674 words]
The Stupidity and Insanity of Canada's War on Drugs Continue Unabated, Defying All History, Facts and Plain Common Sense It's certainly not the worst crime committed in the name of the war on drugs. That title probably belongs to the countless innocent people killed in botched raids. Or the police officers who died in pursuit of the impossible. Or the lives lost to easily preventable overdoses, adulterations, and blood-borne diseases. Or the funding handed on a silver platter to thugs, terrorists, and guerrillas, like those killing our soldiers in Afghanistan. Or the civil liberties eroded, the corruption fostered, the chaos spread. Or maybe it belongs to the hundreds of billions of dollars governments have squandered in a mad, futile, and destructive crusade. [continues 837 words]
Canadians like and respect police officers. They value what cops have to say. They support police funding and can usually be counted on to applaud when a politician promises to hire more cops and "give them the tools to do the job." All of which is particularly true of conservatives. Except when it comes to the gun registry. As the mostly urban and centre-left defenders of the registry never tire of pointing out, all the major police organizations back the registry. They say it makes policing safer and more effective and it's good value for the money. [continues 819 words]
It's certainly not the worst crime committed in the name of the war on drugs. That title probably belongs to the countless innocent people killed in botched raids. Or the police officers who died in pursuit of the impossible. Or the lives lost to easily preventable overdoses and blood-borne diseases. Or the funding handed to thugs, terrorists and guerrillas. Or the civil liberties eroded, the corruption fostered, the chaos spread. Or maybe it belongs to the hundreds of billions of dollars governments have squandered in a mad, futile and destructive crusade. [continues 674 words]
It's certainly not the worst crime committed in the name of the war on drugs. That title probably belongs to the countless innocent people killed in botched raids. Or the police officers who died in pursuit of the impossible. Or the lives lost to easily preventable overdoses, adulterations, and blood-borne diseases. Or the funding handed on a silver platter to thugs, terrorists, and guerrillas, like those killing our soldiers in Afghanistan. Or the civil liberties eroded, the corruption fostered, the chaos spread. Or maybe it belongs to the hundreds of billions of dollars governments have squandered in a mad, futile, and destructive crusade. [continues 837 words]
Another hockey game, another limp body. This time the victim was Marc Savard of the Boston Bruins, lying unconscious on the ice after a devastating hit to the head by Matt Cooke of the Pittsburgh Penguins. But unlike all the other times, this time the NHL's general managers were about to meet and discuss, among other things, whether hits to the head should be banned. The pressure for such a ban has been growing for years. And now this. And so the cry has gone up. Just do it! They probably will. [continues 821 words]
(CNS) - Writing in The American Interest, esteemed political scientist Francis Fukuyama called on the United States to do more to help Mexico in its battle with the drug trade --namely by boosting security on both sides of the border and assisting reform of the Mexican justice system. So far, so routine. But then Fukuyama made an interesting observation. The ultimate source of the problem, Fukuyama noted, is American demand for illicit drugs -- and "the most straightforward way to reduce demand, of course, would be legalization under a tightly controlled regime." [continues 795 words]
Writing in The American Interest, esteemed political scientist Francis Fukuyama called on the United States to do more to help Mexico in its battle with the drug trade --namely by boosting security on both sides of the border and assisting reform of the Mexican justice system. So far, so routine. But then Fukuyama made an interesting observation. The ultimate source of the problem, Fukuyama noted, is American demand for illicit drugs--and "the most straightforward way to reduce demand, of course, would be legalization under a tightly controlled regime." [continues 785 words]
Writing in The American Interest, esteemed political scientist Francis Fukuyama called on the United States to do more to help Mexico in its battle with the drug trade -- namely by boosting security on both sides of the border and assisting reform of the Mexican justice system. So far, so routine. But then Fukuyama made an interesting observation. The ultimate source of the problem, Fukuyama noted, is American demand for illicit drugs -- and "the most straightforward way to reduce demand, of course, would be legalization under a tightly controlled regime." [continues 797 words]
The essential thing to bear in mind when examining the Harper government's policies on crime is that they are not about crime. They are about politics. I do not write this lightly. People generally believe what they say they believe. If the Tories say they believe their policies are important and necessary for the public good, we should take them at their word -- unless there is evidence to the contrary. Unfortunately, there is plenty of evidence to the contrary. Since taking power, in part thanks to tough talk on crime, the Harper government has consistently introduced small, cheap, crowd-pleasing reforms at the most politically opportune moments. It has passed redundant laws. It has passed laws it knows will be struck down by the courts. [continues 852 words]
The essential thing to bear in mind when examining the Harper government's policies on crime is that they are not about crime. They are about politics. I do not write this lightly. People generally believe what they say they believe. If the Tories say they believe their policies are important and necessary for the public good, we should take them at their word -- unless there is evidence to the contrary. Unfortunately, there is plenty of evidence to the contrary. Since taking power, in part thanks to tough talk on crime, the Harper government has consistently introduced small, cheap, crowd-pleasing reforms at the most politically opportune moments. It has passed redundant laws. It has passed laws it knows will be struck down by the courts. It has delayed passing popular bills, preferring to keep them handy for the next political opportunity. And, most tellingly, it has refused to make serious and substantial changes that wouldn't be so politically sexy -- tackling the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, for example. [continues 619 words]
The essential thing to bear in mind when examining the Harper government's policies on crime is that they are not about crime. They are about politics. I do not write this lightly. People generally believe what they say they believe. If the Tories say they believe their policies are important and necessary for the public good, we should take them at their word -- unless there is evidence to the contrary. Unfortunately, there is plenty of evidence to the contrary. Since taking power, in part thanks to tough talk on crime, the Harper government has consistently introduced small, cheap, crowd-pleasing reforms at the most politically opportune moments. It has passed redundant laws. It has passed laws it knows will be struck down by the courts. It has delayed passing popular bills, preferring to keep them handy for the next political opportunity. And, most tellingly, it has refused to make serious and substantial changes that wouldn't be so politically sexy -- tackling the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, for example. [continues 808 words]
The illicit drug trade is, despite its illicitness, a trade. It is an economic activity. "It's like in any marketplace," RCMP Supt. Pat Fogarty said last week. The only difference is that "these guys don't resolve things through a court process." The guys in question are the Lower Mainland gangsters whose bloodshed has shocked Canadians and prompted the federal government to promise tougher laws. And Fogarty is right. Fundamentally, the drug trade is best understood not in terms of criminal law. It's economics that count. [continues 750 words]
The illicit drug trade is, despite its illicitness, a trade. It is an economic activity. "It's like in any marketplace," RCMP Superintendent Pat Fogarty told the Globe and Mail this week. The only difference is that "these guys don't resolve things through a court process." The guys in question are the Vancouver-region gangsters whose brazen and brutal bloodshed has shocked Canadians and prompted the federal government to promise tougher laws. And Supt. Fogarty is right. Fundamentally, the drug trade is best understood not in terms of criminal law. It's economics that count. [continues 854 words]
Gangsters murdering each other in public. Innocent bystanders gunned down. The police demanding more power and money. The government responding with tougher laws. Yes, it's 1997 all over again. Twelve years ago, the government was Liberal, the minister was Allan Rock, and the thugs were biker gangs fighting over Quebec's lucrative trade in illicit drugs. Today, the government is Conservative, the minister is Rob Nicholson, and thugs belong to an assortment of gangs fighting over British Columbia's lucrative trade in illicit drugs. [continues 716 words]
Gangsters murdering each other in public. Innocent bystanders gunned down. The police demanding more power and money. The government responding with tougher laws. Yes, it's 1997 all over again. Twelve years ago, the government was Liberal, the minister was Allan Rock, and the thugs were biker gangs fighting over Quebec's lucrative trade in illicit drugs. Today, the government is Conservative, the minister is Rob Nicholson, and thugs belong to an assortment of gangs fighting over British Columbia's lucrative trade in illicit drugs. [continues 712 words]
Last Sunday, at least 18 people were killed in the struggle to control the Mexican drug trade. They included 10 suspected traffickers and a soldier who died in a wild gunfight, and two men whose severed heads were left near the residence of a state governor. The record-high rate of drug-related murders in 2007 has doubled in 2008. As of Dec. 2, it stood at 5,376. Canadians will be dimly aware that drug-related violence is soaring in Mexico. But to us, this is just more bloodshed far away. It has nothing to do with us. [continues 681 words]
On Dec. 6, at least 18 people were killed in the struggle to control the Mexican drug trade. They included 10 suspected traffickers and a soldier who died in a wild gunfight and two men whose severed heads were put in buckets and left near the residence of a state governor. As horrible as it was, it was a day like any other. Last Monday, Mexico's attorney general told reporters the record-high rate of drug-related murders in 2007 had doubled in 2008. As of Dec. 2, it stood at 5,376. [continues 832 words]
On Sunday, at least 18 people were killed in the struggle to control the Mexican drug trade. They included 10 suspected traffickers and a soldier who died in a wild gunfight, and two men whose severed heads were put in buckets and left near the residence of a state governor. As horrible as it was, it was a day like any other. On Monday, Mexico's attorney general told reporters the record-high rate of drug-related murders in 2007 had doubled in 2008. As of Dec. 2, it stood at 5,376. [continues 846 words]
Afghanistan is going badly. "We're not going to win this war," said a top British general last week. Well, pass the smelling salts. The War on Drugs created Afghanistan's massive illicit drug trade. This trade funds the insurgency, corrupts the government and destabilizes society. But neither the United States nor the United Nations will acknowledge that the War on Drugs is anything less than a roaring success and so they refuse to discuss alternatives to the policy that fuels the whole bloody mess. [continues 851 words]
Afghanistan is going badly. "We're not going to win this war," said a top British general this month. Well, pass the smelling salts. The War on Drugs created Afghanistan's massive illicit drug trade. This trade funds the insurgency, corrupts the government and destabilizes society. But neither the United States nor the United Nations will acknowledge that the War on Drugs is anything less than a roaring success and so they refuse to discuss alternatives to the policy that fuels the whole bloody mess. [continues 707 words]
Afghanistan is going badly. "We're not going to win this war," said a top British general last week. Well, pass the smelling salts. The War on Drugs created Afghanistan's massive illicit drug trade. This trade funds the insurgency, corrupts the government and destabilizes society. But neither the United States nor the United Nations will acknowledge that the War on Drugs is anything less than a roaring success and so they refuse to discuss alternatives to the policy that fuels the whole bloody mess. [continues 850 words]
Afghanistan is going badly. "We're not going to win this war," said a top British general last week. Well, pass the smelling salts. The War on Drugs created Afghanistan's massive illicit drug trade. This trade funds the insurgency, corrupts the government and destabilizes society. But neither the United States nor the United Nations will acknowledge that the War on Drugs is anything less than a roaring success and so they refuse to discuss alternatives to the policy that fuels the whole bloody mess. [continues 858 words]
How would Canada's criminal justice system look if conservatives fully transformed it? And more importantly, what would those changes do to Canadian society? With the Harper government pushing more tough-on-crime legislation, and preparing to dismiss the statistics and campaign on crime in the next election, these are important questions. We got one answer a few days ago. The United States Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that as of 2007, 1.7 million American children younger than 18 had a parent in a state or federal prison. That's 2.3 per cent of all American children. [continues 776 words]
How would Canada's criminal justice system look if conservatives fully transformed it? And more importantly, what would those changes do to Canadian society? With the Harper government pushing more tough-on-crime legislation, and preparing to dismiss the statistics and campaign on crime in the next election, these are important questions. We got one answer this week. The United States Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that as of 2007, 1.7 million American children younger than 18 had a parent in a state or federal prison. That's 2.3 per cent of all American children. [continues 782 words]
As a long-time student of crime policy, I didn't predict that national crime statistics released last week would show a substantial drop in most categories of crime in most parts of the country. Predicting long-term crime trends is hard. Predicting year-to-year variations is pretty much impossible. But when the news broke, I did predict the reactions. That's dead easy. Follow three basic rules and you can't go wrong. . Rule No. 1: Responsibility for crime trends depends entirely on whether those trends are good or bad. [continues 1071 words]
Since We Spend All Our Time Talking About the Tiny Speck That Is Harm Reduction, Maybe We Should Just Get Rid of It and Move on to the Enormous Mess of Drug Policy in General I've been writing about drug policy for more than a decade. In that time, I've seen the failure of current policies in a numbing array of statistics. I've seen the damage inflicted by our mistakes everywhere from Colombia to Russia and the streets of Vancouver's infamous downtown eastside. [continues 1291 words]
The government's handling of drug policy is so ignorant and foolish it is a challenge to explain why in a newspaper column. To expound on stupidity of this magnitude requires a very long book. But two images from this week do come close to capturing the full absurdity. The first is Tony Clement appearing before a Commons committee to declare his government's opposition to the current operation of Insite, the Vancouver safe-injection pilot project. "In my opinion, supervised injection is not medicine," the minister told the committee. "It does not heal the person addicted to drugs." [continues 864 words]
