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Join WhyProhibition and email our MPs today!
Submitted by jacob on Mon, 03/16/2009 - 10:15
I encourage everyone to join Why Prohibition to help stop C-15 and end Prohibition, http://www.whyprohibition.ca/user/register
And tell our Members of Parliament NO on C-15 (Mandatory Minimums for Marijuana) below:
C-15 would impost 6 months for 1 marijuana plant and 12 months for making any kind of hashish! We can't allow C-15 to pass! Email our MP's with the link below:
http://www.whyprohibition.ca/content/vote-no-bill-c-15
Email your MP today and tell them to Vote No on Bill C-15!
Bill C-15 is a dangerous and radical change in Canadian drug policy that
will further enrich gangsters, create more violence on our streets and
assuredly fail to reduce either the demand for, or the availability of,
drugs in our society.
This statement may seem bold. But it is backed by the preponderance of
available science. Comprehensive studies published by the Senate of
Canada, the Canadian Department of Justice, the European Commission, the
US Congressional Research Service, the Fraser Institute, Canadian Centre
for Policy Alternatives and the Rand Corporation all support the view
that mandatory minimum sentencing for drug offences are useless at best.
At worst, these policies will increase the dangers associated with the
drug markets and, therefore, the chaos created on our streets.
The types of mandatory sentences contained in Bill C-15 have been utter
failures in the United States. There is no evidence that harsher
penalties affect drug use rates or the supply of drugs on the streets.
Nor do such sentences appear to deter prohibition-related violence.
Instead of seeing success from its mandatory sentencing policies, the
United States has become the world's largest jailer with 1 in every 99
adults is in custody. The United States has 5% of the worlds population
and 25% of the world's prisoners. Many of those persons are serving time
for non-violent drug offences. Bottom line: the United States has some
of the harshest sentencing regimes in the non-totalitarian world while
also suffering from the highest rates of drug use, the highest violent
crime rates and the richest, most powerful gangs. Instead of serving a
positive purpose, Bill C-15 will increase the power of organized crime
and the violence associated with the illegal drug markets.
Indeed, the very idea of mandatory minimum sentences relies on
assumptions that are simply false. There is no evidence of any deterrent
effect on organized criminals: these people are already willing to risk
arrest, prosecution, incarceration and, indeed, a violent death from
other criminals in order to make the huge profits associated with
high-level drug trafficking. There is no evidence of deterrent effect on
street-level dealers: these people are often addicted to the substances
they sell and commit the crime out desperation driving by their
addiction to very expensive drugs. Worse, while Bill C-15 purports to
target "serious" drug offences, its terms apply to even very minor
offences such as growing a single marijuana plant. This helps no one in
our society.
Increasing the risk (harsher sentences) associated with a behaviour
(drug crime) only prevents that behaviour so long as the benefit
(profit) stays the same. In the case of drug sales, harsher sentencing
may increase the street price and therefore the profit of dealing drugs.
This phenomenon of prohibition guarantees that the supply of individuals
who will commit these crimes is virtually unlimited.
The drug wars in Mexico and Vancouver only serve to exemplify these
issues. Latin America generally, and Mexico specifically, have been the
focus of intense interdiction efforts for decades, yet cocaine is still
as available as ever. What has changed is simply that drug lords now
control vast swaths of territory. Afghanistan is another example:
despite a massive military presence, the supply and availability of
opium is at record levels, while organized criminals (working for or
with the Taliban) control more of the country every year.
Indeed, the evidence is that the prohibition of drugs has been a
complete and total failure. Drugs are as available today as they have
ever been. Drug use is higher in countries that have harsher sentences
and penalties, and lower in countries without such penalties. The only
real effect of increasing penalties is increasing prison populations and
levels of violence on the streets.
Our teenagers report that it is easier to access illegal substances such
as marijuana than regulated substances such as tobacco or alcohol. Why?
Because alcohol and tobacco stores (usually) check ID and drug dealers
never do. Teenage tobacco smoking rates have decreased due to effective
regulation and education, while at the same time teenage marijuana
smoking rates have increased because of no regulation and misleading
education.
If you vote for C-15 you are guaranteeing higher profits for gangs, more
violence on our streets, unregulated access by teenagers, and the
continued supply and availability of drugs. Bill C-15 is a step in the
wrong direction. Ironically, it comes just as the United States is
amending and repealing many of that country's mandatory sentencing
regimes. Bill C-15 is not a solution to the problems caused by the
prohibition markets.
On the other hand, it is possible to take steps to reduce instead of
increase the influence and power of organized crime. A good first step
would be to tax and regulate marijuana. Doing so would create tax
revenues for government, cause a massive decrease in profits for
organized criminal groups, and result in savings to society and
government of billions annually. A further benefit would be the
regulation of a currently unregulated marketplace, complete with age
limits and reasonable time, place and manner restrictions.
Currently, marijuana offences comprise more than three-quarters of all
drug crimes. This drains police resources that are better spent
elsewhere. Under a regulated market, police would have resources freed
up to investigate violent crimes and property offences. This benefits us
all. Bill C-15 does nothing to address this problem. Indeed, it makes it
worse.
Passing C-15 would be costly and dangerous to Canadians and Canadian
society. There is no research or experience that demonstrates this
legislation will do anything else. I urge you to prevent the passage of
this bill by whatever means possible. Don't endanger Canadians. Don't
vote for C-15.
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