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6. How do you think U.S. Drug Policy affects Canadians?
American drug policy directly affects us here in Canada, after all we only got involved in this drug war because we followed Nixon. For example, the Chrétien government tried to regulate small amounts of cannabis for personal use, the US Drug Czar David Murray came up to give us “warnings” on the effect this decision would have on Canada – US trade. However with a few states now regulating recreational cannabis I hope we follow their lead rather than the tried and true failure of tough-on-crime legislation.
7. Are there any successful Drug Policies models we could adopt from other countries?
One place that truly has it right in my opinion is Portugal. Here they have decriminalized all drugs in amounts for personal use. Instead of incarceration people found guilty of possessing small amounts of drugs are sent to a panel consisting of a psychologist, social worker and legal adviser for appropriate treatment (which may be refused without criminal punishment). After implementing these laws, hard-drug use is on the decline in Portugal, as well as new HIV and Hepatitis infections, as well the number of people enlisting in drug treatment programs has more than doubled. Personally I don’t know how we haven’t followed their example by now, it’s ridiculous.
8. Does poverty contribute to drug use or affect outcomes of prosecution?
Most certainly, people in poverty are more likely to engage in drug use because real opportunities to better ones lot in life are rarely presented to the poor, and so many use drugs to get by the day to day struggle. I would say that poverty does affect prosecution in that the crown does discriminate based on postal code. There are obviously other layers to this as well but if two black men are arrested in Toronto and one is from Jane & Finch area and the other from Kingsway, the former will have his neighborhood used to paint a picture of criminality with character evidence. I know the defence needs to bring forth character evidence first if they plan to use it, but the discrimination is already there, it’s just hidden.
9. What effect does the Pharmaceutical Industry have on drug laws and regulations in Canada?
Pharmaceutical corporations have a tremendous effect on our drug laws, especially where medicinal cannabis is concerned. 80% of all new drugs developed in the past 2 years have been cancer fighting drugs that are to be taken with chemotherapy, that’s a billion dollar industry, and when a natural occurring substance such as cannabis, which not only helps with the nausea and pain associated with chemotherapy, but actually stops the mutation of cells and helps send cancer into remission, threatens that money, you better believe they will do what they can to stop it. Corporate interests will stop at nothing to protect the investments of their shareholders, even if that means perpetuating the suffering of thousands of people worldwide.
10. Who benefits from current drug laws and funding?
Right now the largest benefactors of the current drug laws are: Everyone involved in the prison-industrial complex, Police and other paramilitary government agencies such as the DEA, Organized crime, Crown prosecutors and judges, doctors,religious groups, the forestry, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical industries. The list goes on, the roots of prohibition have become so entrenched in society that you would be hard pressed to find an institution that doesn’t profit in some way from the injustices perpetuated by drug prohibition.
11. What would a drug policy based on evidence, human rights, and public health consist of? Any foreseeable barriers to this approach?
Personally, I think we should copy the Portuguese example almost to the letter. However vested industrial and political interests, especially when concerning our neighbor to the south, will be the largest barriers. However if we are able to lessen our dependency on US trade, then we free ourselves from the American influence in our domestic policy.
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