Decriminalizing drugs an option, Dosanjh says

AttorneyGeneral Ujjal Dosanjh says drug addicts need to be treated with
more compassion, and decriminalizing the possession of illegal drugs for
personal use might be one way of doing that.

Dosanjh said Wednesday he will place the issue of decriminalization before
his counterparts in other provinces later this year if B.C. police chiefs
and mayors agree that it's time to encourage debate.

Vancouver Mayor Philip Owen and Police Chief Bruce Chambers said they are
ready to look at that and any other measure that might ease social and
health problems on the Downtown Eastside.

``Obviously, we have a problem, and we have to consider all possible
solutions,'' Owen said. ``The realistic thing at this point is to deal that
card on to the table and have a discussion.''

The issue of decriminalization attracted new attention this week when
deputy chief Ken Higgins of the Vancouver police department said
decriminalizing possession of drugs like heroin or cocaine is a necessary
part of the battle against HIV/AIDS among drug addicts.

Higgins, who has spent a lot of time in Vancouver's Eowntown Eastside
during his 30 years on the force, said drug addiction must be treated as a
medical problem so that police can focus attention on drug traffickers.

Dosanjh also made a distinction between drug addicts who are in need of
medical help and those people who import and traffic illegal substances. He
recently recommended that traffickers receive a 10year jail sentence for a
first conviction and life for a second.

Chambers said politicians should consider the issues that were addressed in
a report on HIV and drug use earlier this year that his deputy had a hand
in preparing. Higgins was a member of a federal panel that proposed, among
other things, the decriminalization of small amounts of narcotics for
personal use.

``I haven't heard all sides, `` the chief said, ``[but] . . . I'm not
shutting the door. I would like a full discussion.''

Dr. Penny Parry, a medical consultant who recently submitted a report to
Health Minister Joy MacPhail calling for a wide range of measures to
respond to the eastside health crisis, said a distinction must be made
between addicts and dealers.

``As long as we keep seeing this as a criminal issue, we will never get to
the heart of it as a health issue,'' she said Wednesday.

The VancouverRichmond health board, which has declared a medical emergency
on the downtown east side because of rampant HIV infection, will be able to
deal with the problem only if the public accepts it as a health issue.

``If the mayor is on side and [so is] a highranking member of the police
force, it will make all the difference,'' she said. ``If this isn't going
to move it, I don't know what else will.''

Dosanjh said he will seek the views of mayors at the Union of British
Columbia Municipalities meeting later this month and he will talk to B.C.
police chiefs at a meeting tentatively scheduled for early November.

If they agree, Dosanjh said he will take the matter to a meeting of
provincial attorneys general expected in late November or early December.

``If chiefs of police indicate they are prepared to have the attorneys
general look at these approaches . . . I would be happy to advocate that on
the national stage.''

Shaun Peck, the deputy provincial health officer, said his office believes
politicians have to consider making hard drugs legally available under
government control.

That was one of the most contentious proposals in a report by B.C.'s former
chief coroner Vince Cain in a thorough study three years ago of deaths from
drug overdoses.

Only one of his 63 recommendations has been implemented, although his
report has gained renewed interest since the health board declared that the
spread of HIV/AIDS among city addicts has become a medical emergency.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police does not support the
decriminalization of illegal drug possession, said Ottawa police chief
Brian Ford.

``Basically, the CACP sees drugs as a very serious criminal problem in the
community and they feel that any relaxation of those laws would be
detrimental to the public,'' said Ford, chair of the CACP and head of its
law amendment committee.

HEROIN, POSSESSION CHARGES, NATIONWIDE:

1995: .............. 332

1994: ....... ...... 496

1993: .............. 513

1992: .............. 384

1991: .............. 372

1990: .............. 380

1989: .............. 333

1988: (not available)

1987: .............. 240

1986: .............. 214

1985: .............. 191

1984: .............. 175

1983: .............. 280

1982: .............. 226

1981: .............. 181

1980: .............. 230

1979: .............. 223

1978: .............. 506

1977: .............. 519

COCAINE, POSSESSION CHARGES:

1995: ........... 3,979

1994: ........... 4,661

1993: ........... 4,728

1992: ........... 5,208

1991: ........... 5,591

1990: ........... 4,726

1989: ........... 6,117

1988: (not available)

1987: ........... 3,183

1986: ........... 2,525

1985: ........... 1,869

1984: ........... 1,551

1983: ........... 1,013

1982: .............. 841

1981: .............. 771

1980: .............. 578

1979: .............. 399

1978: .............. 303

1977: .............. 605