cannabisnews.com: Don't 'Give Up' on Drug Fight: Deputy Minister





Don't 'Give Up' on Drug Fight: Deputy Minister
Posted by CN Staff on March 04, 2003 at 09:55:34 PT
By Jim Bronskill, The Ottawa Citizen 
Source: Ottawa Citizen 
Canada must continue to discourage the use of cannabis and other illegal drugs to ensure a healthy society, a senior federal official says in spite of recent government rumblings about softening penalties for marijuana possession.While drug consumption will never be eliminated, governments cannot abandon efforts to control the cultivation, movement and sale of narcotics, says the Solicitor General Department's Paul Kennedy, who is helping lead hemispheric actions on the issue.
"I don't view this as something that you give up on," he said in an interview.Mr. Kennedy, a senior assistant deputy minister, was recently elected vice-chairman of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission, an agency of the Organization of American States that helps co-ordinate the anti-drug efforts of the 34 member countries, including Canada.He will be at the head of the table when OAS representatives gather this fall in Canada -- the city has not yet been chosen -- for an annual meeting.Canada's national drug strategy focuses on education aimed at prevention, treatment for drug users, measures to assist communities and efforts to restrict the availability of illicit substances. The Liberal government has hinted at relaxing laws against possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use by removing them from the Criminal Code. Infractions essentially would become ticketable offences.Some argue the government should go further and legalize marijuana use, regulating it much like the sale of alcohol.Whatever the legal penalties, illicit drugs -- even marijuana -- can harm lives, Mr. Kennedy insists. "For the life of me, I can't see how a citizen, if you're a young student in a school, let's say, and you're high on marijuana, how you're going to function," he said. "You're going to miss the best, formative years of your life."Whether or not the drug would be legally available to you, it is clearly going to negatively impact on your ability to function in society," he added. Through the Canadian Community Health Survey and other data-collection initiatives, Canada is trying to assemble a picture of drug consumption. However, there is limited information available on the average age at which individuals begin to inject drugs, says the Drug Abuse Control Commission's latest report on Canada. In addition, there has been an increase in use of speed and rave-type drugs such as ecstasy."As Canada intensifies its efforts to develop the full picture of the drug situation, it appears there has been a weakening perception of risk of harm in drug use among the nation's youth," the report says. "This perception correlates with increasing rates of use among the youth population."In Ontario between 1997 and 1999, the percentage of students reporting that cannabis was easy to obtain increased to 53 per cent from 41 per cent.Despite his commitment to reducing use of illegal substances, Mr. Kennedy objects to the oft-used phrase "war on drugs" because it suggests the battle will some day end."If you look at the human condition, we've always had anti-social behaviour of some kind. And that's a fact of life. We'll always have within society people who, for instance, steal. Are we going to have a war on theft?" he asked."There will be substance abuse problems. Our challenge is to look at that and try to reduce it to the point where societies can function successfully."The commission is a drug control commission. It's not a drug elimination commission."The commission's detailed annual reports on OAS countries have helped each nation focus on individual weaknesses and, in some cases, work together to devise regional solutions to stem drug cultivation, Mr. Kennedy said. "I'm very optimistic as to where we can go."Note: Whether Liberals decriminalize cannabis or not, it harms lives, says bureaucrat named to global drug panel. Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)Author: Jim Bronskill, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Tuesday, March 04, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Ottawa CitizenContact: letters thecitizen.southam.caWebsite: http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/ Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmThe Latest Dispatches From The War On Drugs http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15627.shtmlThis Fantasy World of Drug Prohibition http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15600.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #9 posted by freedom fighter on March 04, 2003 at 18:46:15 PT
Not in my backyard!
Our challenge is to look at that and try to reduce it to the point where societies can function successfully.How would one define where societies can function successfully? In his view, if societies no longer are toking, we are functioning successfully?? We all dream of "healthy societies". I am not just sure it can be attain by the likes of control freaks like mr.kennedy. It is just not reality.What's so healthy about objecting the use of word "war on drugs" when you would'nt give up the "fight on drugs"? What's so healthy when societies today are not "really" suffering "drug abuse", when in fact it's the "LACK" of drugs to ease sufferings of pain of human beings on this earth?Basic decency requires me to state this! I want mr. kennedy out of my backyard. Accept this fact that a healthy society does require me to stay out of your backyard.ff
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by boballen1313 on March 04, 2003 at 18:33:27 PT:
DOUBLE STANDARDS
I am both a vietnam era vet and a bodyshop veteran of 22years...The good old USA lets the workers soak up the toulene and carcinegenics of modern science to apply a repair to keep america on the road, but when it comes to our health and effort... we get zip. I have always thought in my bodychem induced stupor that if chems are making me sick... chems ( beer and weed) had better make me well. There are thousands of workers sucking up toxic chems for america but denied the relief of cannabis... This is intolerable! WE give our lives to america! We get prison sentences for our effort.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by mayan on March 04, 2003 at 17:29:28 PT
Control?
"While drug consumption will never be eliminated, governments cannot abandon efforts to control the cultivation, movement and sale of narcotics, says the Solicitor General Department's Paul Kennedy, who is helping lead hemispheric actions on the issue."The moment the government made drugs illegal, they surrendered all control of cultivation, movement and sale to the black market and organized crime. What a dolt!MARCH 5 - National Moratorium to Stop the War on Iraq:
http://www.notinourname.net/call_for_the_moratorium.html
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by afterburner on March 04, 2003 at 17:22:14 PT:
The 'pot' is boiling.
Canada must continue to discourage the use of cannabis and other illegal drugs to ensure a healthy society, a senior federal official says in spite of recent government rumblings about softening penalties for marijuana possession.Mr. senior official,The courts of Canada and the federal government have recognized that cannabis does have "medical" uses. How, exactly, then does prohibiting it's use "ensure a healthy society"?While drug consumption will never be eliminated, governments cannot abandon efforts to control the cultivation, movement and sale of narcotics, says the Solicitor General Department's Paul Kennedy, who is helping lead hemispheric actions on the issue.Cannabis is chemically not a narcotic, like the opiates! Cannabis is a mild psychedelic. Opiates numb you out into dream land. Cannabis focuses your energy to manifest your consciousness in action.ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question.Preview of upcoming Canadian TV program:Host: "The recent decision to decriminalize marijuana has sparked a debate in faith-based communities. Some feel it was long overdue. Others believe where there's smoke, there's fire." Female guest: "There's absolutely a contradiction with what the government is attempting to do."Male guest: "Cannabis is something that definitely opens doors of perception in different ways and is a connection to spirituality."Host: "Can smoking pot help you to reach the highest state of enlightenment?"360 Vision - Thursday at 8pm ET/PT only on Vision TV. [2003.March.6]
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by global_warming on March 04, 2003 at 15:43:03 PT:
Sometimes you have to wonder
..."For the life of me, I can't see how a citizen, if you're a young student in a school, let's say, and you're high on marijuana, how you're going to function," he said. "You're going to miss the best, formative years of your life....Yeah, how are you going to function?
Maybe you will be introspective enough to see through some of the establishments advertisements..Maybe you will become a wary consumer,
Not jump at the first SUV commercial,
The first political candidate..
The first fast food...gw
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by BigDawg on March 04, 2003 at 11:57:35 PT
Where's the victem?
"If you look at the human condition, we've always had anti-social behaviour of some kind. And that's a fact of life. We'll always have within society people who, for instance, steal. Are we going to have a war on theft?" he asked.OK, a theif has a victem. What exactly is it that makes a person smoking cannabis anti-social? Oh yeah, I forgot... a potsmoker has to hide out of fear of persecution.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by darwin on March 04, 2003 at 11:24:52 PT
Telltail sign of propagandizer
This article uses the propaganda tool I like to call the cannabis sandwich. Talk specifically about cannabis, then "inject" non cannabis keywords to subconsciously tie it to hard drugs, then return to the cannabis discussion.blah, blah, decriminilization, blah.
"However, there is limited information available on the average age at which individuals begin to inject drugs" 
blah, blah, wrong message, blah...I have my own version.
Greed, stupidity, arrogance, blah, blah...
Politicians and their media whores.
Criminals, fascists, idiots, blah, blah.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by Virgil on March 04, 2003 at 10:13:46 PT
Hear no sense, speak no sense, see no sense
Whatever the legal penalties, illicit drugs -- even marijuana -- can harm lives, Mr. Kennedy insists. The link I use for weather post a UV rating everyday which is valuable if you are concerned about skin cancer. Prohibit sunlight. They also have a pollution index. Prohibit pollution. That really does make sense.The guy has opened his mouth to prove he needs to be replaced by someone that doesn't just spout off the generalities of the prohibitionists. Prohibit prohibitionists from office.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on March 04, 2003 at 10:04:53 PT
I can help!
"For the life of me, I can't see how a citizen, if you're a young student in a school, let's say, and you're high on marijuana, how you're going to function," he said."To be honest, Mr. Kennedy, I don't know either - I didn't use any cannabis in high school. I listened to the nurse in my health class who told us that alcohol, tobbacco, and illegal drugs can harm our devlopment.However, I'm sure your fellow politicians could certainly provide you with an answer. Most of them probably smoked their way through high school and college and are now running the country. Maybe you should ask them how it works instead of spouting useless demagoguery.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment