US drug war comes to CANADA!!!!!!

[harris7]

Today i awoke at 6am to make my way to my last exam for this semester.
And what do I awake to, the newspaper heading
" Canada looks to USA for drug policy hints" (FUCK THAT)

anyways the exam didn't go well.

PLEASE all Canadians write to your MP. The conservatives are very susceptible to criticism now as they are lower in the polls than the Liberals and the Clean air act sucked balls (and everyone knows).

It is very easy to find your MP online and it only takes a few minuets to write this very important letter.

Real letters have much more impact, but emails are Much better than nothing.

Here is a link to the article:
FUCK THIS (http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=0f1c7c42-f495-45ae-bb29-b2d6f5f04ed0&k=38378)

Thanks for your time

[mrdevious]

Oh god damnit, we really don't need this. How can anybody look at the results of U.S. drug policy and thing THAT is an effective system. Though I suppose the conservatives only consider the ideology, not the results in this case. It's a shame, I voted conservative in the last election because I was sick of Liberal corruption and party members ruling like kings more than representatives. The conservitive economic policies have even been really solid. But now I see they're spending millions on a child care policy that won't do anything, their environmental efforts are rediculously weak. they're harder against pot than ever (it'll never legalize under them), and now thing about the drug policy. Unfortunately it appears I'm going to have to vote for somebody else. It's a tough decision because I want to NDP in more than the Liberals, but I know the liberals are the only ones with a real chance and will at least have policies on environment and drugs that are still substancially better than the current ones (albeit still vastly inferior to the NDP's in this respect). I get the feeling the next election is going to be a very tough call...

[harris7]

well currently the libs are 38% in the polls and the cons. at 32 or 34%.
but that could just be because of the new leader.

I hope the libs. dont win the next election because of their new "green" leader. i hope the environment just becomes an issue that every party takes seriously. with no debate.

If you want to drop me a line, send me your email via the rep. system. it's the only personal messaging thing we got. I think it'll work

i do hope the liberals with with the NDP holding the balance. that would be nice to have again, and it would stand for a long time too. Maybe get a lot of good done. I hope there is an election soon, every day with harper is another loss to canada. I will probaly vote NDP because i cannot bring myself to vote for someone who i dont agree with. and both my ridings are won alredy (probaly)

[dutch.lover]

this blows-i am very upset. i am going to write letters as well.

[Perp]

Oh god damnit, we really don't need this. How can anybody look at the results of U.S. drug policy and thing THAT is an effective system. Though I suppose the conservatives only consider the ideology, not the results in this case. It's a shame, I voted conservative in the last election because I was sick of Liberal corruption and party members ruling like kings more than representatives. The conservitive economic policies have even been really solid. But now I see they're spending millions on a child care policy that won't do anything, their environmental efforts are rediculously weak. they're harder against pot than ever (it'll never legalize under them), and now thing about the drug policy.

Realize that all politicians will abuse power to a certain extent. We as the voting public need to vote for the policy, not whether or not we believe the politician is totally honest. It was obvious the Conservatives would crack down on drugs before the election. Anyone who doesn't agree with current drug policy should have voted against them. I know that some Liberals were taking cash, but if the alternative is a US style drug war, then I'll take the Liberals.


It's a tough decision because I want to NDP in more than the Liberals, but I know the liberals are the only ones with a real chance

And why can't you vote NDP? If everyone that thought that voted NDP I bet they would at least be the official opposition.

[mrdevious]

Actually the NDP is already acting as a solid opposition, but I agree they could have a lot more power. This is the bothersome thing about our riding system, the NDP has twice as many votes as the Bloc, yet the Bloc gets twice as much representation in the house.

I probably will vote NDP. You're right, a big reason the NDP can't get ahead is because NDPer's often vote Liberal, seeing them as the only party with a realistic chance and a lesser of evils. I was thinking this way because I know the NDP don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning in my riding. But I suppose I'll just vote them anyway, because the greater good is that increasing their national vote count will give the voting public more confidence in voting for them next time.

[Perp]

Actually the NDP is already acting as a solid opposition, but I agree they could have a lot more power. This is the bothersome thing about our riding system, the NDP has twice as many votes as the Bloc, yet the Bloc gets twice as much representation in the house.

They have some clout now because there is a minority gov't but that will change when there is another majority.


I probably will vote NDP. You're right, a big reason the NDP can't get ahead is because NDPer's often vote Liberal, seeing them as the only party with a realistic chance and a lesser of evils. I was thinking this way because I know the NDP don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning in my riding. But I suppose I'll just vote them anyway, because the greater good is that increasing their national vote count will give the voting public more confidence in voting for them next time.

That's the spirit. Gotta start somewhere.

[dutch.lover]

I vote for the NDP, even though my riding always ends up conservative. I realize that a lot of people choose to vote liberal cause they think that that party is the only one that stands a chance against the conservatives, but like you guys have been saying- if everyone who wants to vote for the NDP does so, they would probably beat the liberals.

I am so depressed about the drug thing though. The rules/laws surrounding pot in BC have been getting less and less enforced, for example cops are starting to give people safety fines and warnings (cause of high, unsafe electricity in large grow-ops) instead of actually busting them for growing. Stephen Harper can just fuck off. I hate him.

[harris7]

And why can't you vote NDP? If everyone that thought that voted NDP I bet they would at least be the official opposition.

Valid point. In my riding it's like 50% cons. 37% liberal and like 10% right,

the fact is we dont know if half the NDPer's are voting liberal because they've got a better chance of beating the Con.

Slowly over a few elections the votes for the NDP will get bigger, until more and more people think "hmm maybe they have a chance now, maybe i can vote how i want to"
and Bang, NDP's the second in the riding.

So by voting NDP in my con/lib riding. isn't to elect the person it's to show the liberal voting ndpers that other people think the same way.

More so, Jack still gets to represent more people when you vote for him. % wise, and they get money and shit.

always vote with your beliefs, it's kinda what democracy is about

[harris7]

Oh and I hope were all writing letters, it’s really simple, I’ll bang one off right now.
That everyone can use (but, please change it a bit)

Dear MP,

Recently the newspapers have been littered with articles which speak of talks between Canadian and the US government officials on the topic of a new drug strategy for Canada. I am writing to express my opposition to any drug strategy similar to the one used in the USA.
The US’s approach has proven to be a very ineffective in almost every quantifier, Economicaly, at reducing drug use and at prevention (please go on in your letter).

Bla bla bla, heres some statistics.

In closing I hope that you change your parties approach and continue focusing on the prevention, education and rehabilitation efforts Canada is known for.

In solidarity,

Cannabis.com member

Heres some quick stats.
Or go to www.drugwarfacts.org

$18.822 Billion spent by the American federal government on the drug war in 2002
Source: Office of National Drug Control Policy, "National Drug Control Strategy: FY 2003 Budget Summary" (Washington, DC: Office of the President, February 2002), Table 2, p. 6.

a 12 year longitudinal study from the University of Pittsburgh that was released Dec 6th, disproved gateway theory.

The Safer Commission was appointed by President Nixon, and reported that the laws regarding marijuana should be decriminalized in 1972. Instead Nixon placed a moratorium on all research pertaining to Cannabis.

Since 1998 the US federal government has spent over 1 billion dollars on an anti-drug ad campaign that has been proven to increase teen drug use.

The percentage of the general population who have used cocaine is 10.5% in the USA 5 times higher than in the Netherlands.
Source: Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Drug
Policy in the Netherlands: Progress Report September 1997-September
1999, (The Hague: Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, November
1999), p. 6. The report notes "*The figures quoted in this paragraph
for drug use in the US are taken from the National Household
Survey 1997, SAMSHA, Office of Applied Studies, Washington, DC".


Chart:
Comparing Important Drug and Violence Indicators


Social Indicator Comparison Year U.S. Netherlands
================================================== ===============
Lifetime prevalence
of marijuana use
(ages 12+) 2001 36.9% #1 17.0% #2

Past month
prevalence of
marijuana use
(ages 12+) 2001 5.4% #1 3.0% #2

Lifetime prevalence
of heroin use
(ages 12+) 2001 1.4% #1 0.4% #2

Incarceration Rate
per 100,000
population 2002 701 #3 100 #4

Homicide rate per
100,000 population average 1999-2001 5.56 #6 1.51 #6

sources for chart:

Source #1: US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Household
Survey on Drug Abuse: Volume I. Summary of National Findings
(Washington, DC: HHS, August 2002), p. 109, Table H.1.

Source #2: Trimbos Institute, "Report to the EMCDDA by the Reitox
National Focal Point, The Netherlands Drug Situation 2002" (Lisboa,
Portugal: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction,
Nov. 2002), p. 28, Table 2.1.

Source #3: Walmsley, Roy, "World Prison Population List (fifth
edition) (London, England: Research, Development and Statistics
Directorate of the Home Office), Dec. 2003, p. 3, Table 2.

Source #4: Walmsley, Roy, "World Prison Population List (fifth
edition) (London, England: Research, Development and Statistics
Directorate of the Home Office), Dec. 2003, p. 5, Table 4.

Source #5: van Dijk, Frans & Jaap de Waard, "Legal infrastructure of
the Netherlands in international perspective: Crime control"
(Netherlands: Ministry of Justice, June 2000), p. 9, Table S.13.

Source #6: Barclay, Gordon, Cynthia Tavares, Sally Kenny, Arsalaan
Siddique & Emma Wilby, "International comparisons of criminal justice
statistics 2001," Issue 12/03 (London, England: Home Office Research,
Development & Statistics Directorate, October 2003), p. 10, Table 1.1.

[Tiggernutts]

Good luck my northern brothers, I hope you don't have to deal with the same door busting, money snatching drug politics we have down here!!!!

[harris7]

Well to be optimistic. I dont think many canadians would allow them to take the american approach. It's just so obviously wrong.

[dutch.lover]

it is wrong. the US spends soooo much money putting people into jail for marijuana use, and paying for unneccessary rehab, and spending money on police and dea enforcement to combat this harmless drug.

the US also has the worst rates of people using drugs. why adopt a policy that often has a reverse effect/effectiveness?

[Harry Pot Head]

Harpers on DRUGS

:chainsaw:

Thinking a US based approch is the way to go.

Harper and his party have for the most part alowed them selves to be swayed by US policy's

This is Canada Harper not US if you don't like it here move to the US

This is the kind of shit thats not needed

Guess I will take a bong hit to calm down now :bonghit:


P.S. will write my MP and tell him why I think this is a blow to our Soverenty

[Harry Pot Head]

My Edits in RED or should i say remarks.

Happy New Year and what a thing to read on a new year :jointsmile:

Monday » January
1 » 2007
Canada looks to USA for drug policy hints
Peter O'Neil
Vancouver Sun
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
To listen to story, click the VoicePrint link
OTTAWA -- Conservative cabinet ministers and their aides are consulting with
"keen" U.S. government officials (Keen to tell us what to do and how to run our country)on a new national drug strategy for Canada,
according to internal documents obtained by The Vancouver Sun.
"There have been various senior-level meetings between U.S. officials and
ministers/ministers' offices," states a summary of a June 16, 2006 meeting on
the Tory drug initiative, involving bureaucrats at nine federal departments and
agencies. Back room Hidden meetings and agendas make one not trust the goverment)
"U.S. officials have been keen to discuss drug issues with the current
government."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's 2006 election platform promised a new drug
strategy that would include a national youth awareness strategy.
Harper also called for mandatory minimum sentences and large fines for serious
drug offenders, including marijuana growing operators and "producers and
dealers of crystal meth and crack."
The Tory government has since come under criticism for taking a tough,
U.S.-style approach to drug crime while downplaying the so-called "harm
reduction" approach that led to the 2003 establishment of the supervised
injection site for Vancouver's drug addicts.
The five-page summary, obtained through the Access to Information Act,
noted that John Walters, director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control
Policy, and a frequent critic of Canadian drug policy under the Liberals -- was
planning to visit Canada this autumn.
"The meeting was postponed for scheduling reasons. It's anticipated the
meeting will take place early in the new year," said Rodney Moore, a
spokesman for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.
The Canadian national drug strategy will be launched in the fall or winter, the
documents note, after which Canadian diplomats "will need to do outreach with
the U.S. and our like-minded countries."( narow minded countries that is)
The strategy will focus on "a few key priority areas that the current
government could focus and build on," such as "clandestine labs, marihuana
grow operations, synthetic drugs," the document states. "Another key element
of the proposed national strategy is the national awareness campaign for
youth." (another usless DARE campain ??? )


The document also cites government plans to toughen laws for drug-impaired
driving. Justice Minister Vic Toews has tabled legislation on that matter.
Mike Storeshaw, a spokesman for Toews, said he couldn't speculate on when
the strategy will be announced.( Later the better and rethink the war on drugs but then there on drugs even thinking of following the ill fated war on drugs)
Storeshaw said the Canada-U.S. meetings make sense given the concerns
shared by both countries about cross-border crime. "Obviously ministers
interact with their counterparts internationally. Americans are important
counterparts especially when it comes to drug crime," he said. "Drugs are one
of the prime motivators for crime, (prohibition made it a crime and it was not based on fact when it was done)particularly cross-border crime."
Neil Boyd, a criminologist at Simon Fraser University, said U.S. interest in
Canada's drug plans is no surprise.( with the DEA having offices in Canada. and trying to bring Canadians to face trials in the US Mark Emery for exaple )
"The Harper government favours a U.S.-style approach to drug problems,
which is to lock more people up and don't treat it as a health problem, treat it(Why he wants to follow a flawed approch is beyond sensable)
as a criminal law problem of morality," Boyd said. "That's very much at odds
with what's going on in Europe and there's really no good evidence to suggest that it's going to be terribly useful."
New Democratic Party MP Libby Davies, whose Vancouver East riding includes
the supervised injection facility in the Downtown Eastside, said the Harper
government appears to be "taking orders" from the American. "We have
made-in-Canada policies that are working," she said. "Why isn't [Harper]
looking to Europe and the successes they've had there?"
(blind followers can't see or chose not to see a system that works. Or we must somewere in one of the secretive meetings been told there may be trade sanctions against us is what i bet !!!)

- - -This
story can be heard online after 10:30 a.m. today at
www.vancouversun.com/readaloud.
© The Vancouver Sun 2006
Copyright © 2007 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.

It is interesting that the info and to be forced from the goverment using the freedom of information act. :mad: to bring it out to the public. :mad:

You can feel free to correct me if you want im not perfect :p

[moeburn]

There are two things good about this country; British Columbia, and the Government policies. And I don't live in British Columbia...

[blackhash]

Good old BC, huh? This kinda shit isn't happening here! I can have 12 plants lit by 12000 watts if I want...because DRAWING electricity isn't ILLEGAL here... Does anyone know of any laws like this in the US?



Hydro will target suspected B.C. grow ops
04-19-06 | Sookenewsmirror.Com | Kevin Diakiw

Heavy users of electricity will be reported to police under new B.C. legislation.
Near the end of this month, municipalities will have BC Hydro records on demand, data which will be turned over to police to determine whether spikes in power use were caused by a marijuana grow operation.

Marijuana grow ops require high power consumption, typically three to 10 times the amount used by a normal home.
"This amendment will help local authorities target and shut down marijuana grow operations more quickly and more efficiently," Minister of Public Safety John Les said in the legislature Thursday, as he introduced Bill 25. "With these amendments, municipalities will now be able to obtain information from electricity companies about residences with unusual power consumption."

The names and addresses of the account holders will now be given to local authorities to investigate whether their homes contain a grow operation, he said.

One of the main impediments to the program, investigators say, has been the time-consuming process of acquiring BC Hydro information through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOI). To obtain an FOI request, the city first had to have tips from neighbours. Now the investigation process will be reversed: power records first, then assessment.
Launched last year, the Electrical Fire Safety Initiative (EFSI) involved fire, police, bylaw and building inspectors tracking high energy use and posting a notice that the home will be inspected in 48 hours.

Len Garis, Surrey Fire Chief, acknowledges the new legislation will be controversial.
"The new program may be viewed by some as an infringement of privacy, however it is believed that the public's safety is more compelling and outweighs any privacy rights," Garis said.

[dutch.lover]

I totally read a similar article to that, discussing how the police will be handed unusual electricity bills. However, the article I read inferred that the cops wouldn't care so much about the plants, but about the unsafe power consumption. It sorta hinted that cops would only charge you for safety shit (for endangering your neighborhood) and not for the actual growing. anyone else hear this?

[Pinhole_Stars]

I love how Harper is talking about this "Awareness campaing for Teens." All these awareness campaigns fail miserably and only work on the kids who are already stupid enough to believe that doing drugs is morally wrong. It's so frustrating that we have a perfect model in Amsterdam, a fairly decent model with Britain, and yet Canada is turning to the biggest failures of all, The United States! They get high on the bible for godssakes.