UN Doesn't like Some of Canada's New Policies on Illicit Drugs

The UN has decided to put pressure on Canada for two of it's policies over the use of what are currently illegal recreational drugs.

The UN's International Narcotics Control Board does not approve of our move to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. Nor do they approve of a safe-injection site, established in Vancouver last year, to give injection drug users clean needles and a safe place to shoot-up. The INCB argues, particularly in the latter case, that Canada is violating international treaties on illegal drug use.

Instead of taking issue with the reasons for establishing a safe-injection site, they base their arguments against it on technical interpretations of the law, and an unsupported suggestion that the existence of such a site will encourage drug use. The real focus of the INCB appears to be a desire for stronger law enforcement world wide; a focus which decades of the American "War on Drugs" has proven to be a failure.

One thing should be very apparent to most people who have followed any of the press reports about illegal recreational drugs over the past few decades; their use is never going to stop. No matter how draconian the punishments, no matter how dangerous the substance is to the health of the user, there will always be a demand. With that demand will come people willing to take the risks required to provide those drugs to customers, because they will be able to demand a very high price for the product, ensuring themselves a considerable profit.

By making the use and traffic of many recreational drugs illegal, governments provide fertile ground for the creation of criminal infrastructure funded by the proceeds of their illicit products. Moreover, by forcing the drug culture underground through criminalization governments create a whole host of additional problems. The recreational drugs themselves are frequently of poor quality, diluted by substances that can be exceptionally harmful to the user. Addicts then end up placing additional burdens on the healthcare systems in place in society. The cost of feeding an addiction, due to the high cost of the drugs, results in addicts neglecting their health, because their entire income must be allocated to feed their addiction. They are unable to afford food or shelter. Many resort to other criminal or dangerous activities such as theft, and prostitution to acquire the money the need to buy the drugs.

Simply increasing law enforcement does nothing to address the roots of the problems created by drug abuse and its criminalization. It addresses only the symptoms, and merely cycles the people involved through the courts and penitentiaries, which creates even greater costs for the public.

The safe injection site here in Vancouver is a first step at attempting to address some of the additional problems created by criminalization. Having a safe place to inject enables users to lessen the dangers to their lives should they overdose, as staff are available to provide or call emergency services. Providing clean needles also reduces the chances of transmitting diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis, which in turn lessens the chance of these diseases harming the general population. A safe injection site can also provide a location for addicts, who want to stop using drugs, to connect with those who can provide them treatment for their addiction.

The argument that a safe injection site will encourage people to take up drug use, is clearly a distraction. What scares those who favour a punishment approach is the possibility of a working example of harm reduction. That in turn would encourage a greater amount of resources being devoted to the development of strategies to deal with drug abuse, that do not resort to criminalization and increased law enforcement. It is the possibility of success with non-punishment based strategies that I believe most concerns the punishment focused.

Why are they concerned? I believe the foundation of their concern, for most, is fear. They fear the possibility that should drug use become acceptable more people will use drugs and more lives will be harmed. Those in law enforcement may fear they will receive less resources to police society, thus making an already difficult job even harder. Both of these are legitimate arguments worth exploring, but neither preclude the possibility of harm reduction and decriminalization strategies. Instead they suggest the need for creative implementation of new strategies that take into consideration the concerns over the possibility of increased drug use, and less effective law enforcement.

For more information on creative solutions to problems of drug abuse in society, take a look at the website of the Drug Policy Alliance.