| Essential information for an informed debate about cannabis policy. |
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| Other support for ending cannabis prohibition in Canada |
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June 9, 2004 - The Fraser Institute (a Conservative Think Tank)
"Marijuana Growth in British Columbia"
Report Author: Stephen Easton
'The policies that we have in place just aren't effective in suppressing the activity,' says SFU economist Stephen Easton. 'It seems to me one reasonable alternative is that of legalization -- treat any social problems directly and openly, and then benefit from the revenue... generated by the marijuana industry.'
Click here for the News Release
Click here for the Complete Publication
Related resources |
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Dr. David Bowering is a member of the Health Officers Council of British Columbia (HOC)
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Dr. David Bowering
Member of the Health Officers Council of British Columbia
Bowering in Favour of Legalizing Pot
August 29, 2007 - Smithers Interior News (B.C.)
“The federal government needs to take a leadership role at the national and international levels in actively initiating reform of current psychoactive drug laws, including a review and revision of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, to create regulatory frameworks for drugs that will allow governments at all levels to better address the harms associated with the production, trade, distribution, and use of these substances,” the [H.O.C.] report states.
Related: A Public Health Approach To Drug Control in Canada
(HOC Discussion Paper,
2005) PDF
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The Health Officers' Council of B.C. issued a discussion paper in fall of 2005 titled:
"A Public Health Approach to Drug Control in Canada" |
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| Related news article: "The pharmacist has your ecstasy ready" -
April 16, 2006 - Toronto Star |
| Excerpt: |
The document, titled A Public Health Approach to Drug Control in Canada, contends that removing criminal penalties for personal drug possession and placing currently illegal substances under tight controls could not only help to start and maintain rehabilitation programs for addicts, but could also "reduce secondary unintended drug-related harms to society that spring from a failed criminal-prohibition approach."
The paper adds: "This would move individual harmful illegal drug use from being primarily a criminal issue to being primarily a health issue."
The arguments are persuasive: Legalizing illicit drugs would substantially reduce the crime rate, largely by driving the black market out of business and rendering it unnecessary for addicts to commit petty theft. |
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Eugene Oscapella is a lawyer and criminology professor at the University of Ottawa.
Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy
www.cfdp.ca |
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Eugene Oscapella
Pot policy creating too many criminals?
July 8, 2007 - Canadian Press
“Going into the 21st century we should know better than to bludgeon the use of this drug with criminal law,” he said.
“It doesn't work, hasn't worked, never has worked, there's no prospect that it ever will work. Yet we continue to do it.”
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“Prohibition has been an utter and total failure,” he said.
“Not only has it failed to do anything, it has actually made the problem worse. It's not like some government programs that fail to do anything at all — this one does actual harm.
“Instead of just keeping us static and wasting money, it actually moves us backwards. And wastes money. And destroys lives. And finances terrorism, and insurgent groups around the world.” |
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The John Howard Society of Canada
Resources, Briefs and Position Papers (Drug Policy) |
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Excerpt from "Senate Cannabis Discussion Paper Reaction":
"Canada has followed the strict prohibitionist approach to illicit drugs for nearly 100 years and we agree with most non-enforcement experts on drug policy that the harms derived from drug prohibition probably now outweigh those associated with drug use in Canada." |
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Charles Adler hosts Adler On Line weekday afternoons between 2:00pm and 6:00pm EST on the Corus Radio Network.
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Charles Adler
Editorial: "It's time to dispense with antiquated pot laws"
July 9, 2007 - National Post
In the dog days of summer, the legalization of marijuana discussion will once again fill the vacuum left by much of the political news that takes a vacation in July and August.
The story is out now that marijuana busts in Canada for simple use, are up by 30%. What does it mean? Not very much in the way of cutting demand for dope. Not very much in the way of cutting demand for harder drugs. Not very much in the way of helping society to deal with other forms of crime.
You don't have to be a cynic to conclude that our cops are being told to go out there and pick the low hanging fruit. Might we all be be better off if they put the boots to more serious crime? Cops will say if they are given the benefit of annonymity that busting users for simple posession is a huge waste of resources for busy police and clogged courts.
Kathleen Parker is a frequent guest on Adler on Line, had one of her most recent columns published in the National Post. Her politics are usually on the right. But her War on Marijuana politics are not. Her recent headline reads, "Bogarting Sanity." You have to wonder how much longer the U.S. and Canada will be Bogarting Common Sense.
The fastest path to a 21st century society that makes sense is smoking out 19th century laws that don't. |
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SUPPORT for Cannabis Law Reform
