Ottawa, June 12 2013 – The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) is joining the growing chorus of health professionals strongly opposed to the Harper Governments prohibitionist approach to drug policy.
In 2008, the Harper Government eliminated all mention of harm reduction in Canada’s national drug strategies; relapsing Canada back to a time in history when the benefits of harm reduction were not widely understood by governments or the general public.
“Despite public demand for health and social services delivered on the best evidence available the Harper Government continues to reject scientifically supported health promotion efforts” notes CASW President, Morel Caissie. “Prison sentences are not the cure for society’s health and social problems.”
Bill C-65, currently before the Parliament of Canada, lists numerous conditions that must be met before the Federal Minister for Health will provide an exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) for Supervised Injection Sites.
On its own Bill C-65 sets unnecessary roadblocks to establishing new Supervised Injection Sites. Combined with the reframed 2008 national drug strategy (now anti-drug) and mandatory minimum sentences prescribed by the 2011 omnibus crime bill (Bill C-10), Canada is moving against overwhelming domestic and international evidence on the benefits of harm reduction. As well, the current approach ignores all evidence on the inadequacies of drug enforcement measures to reduce the demand and supply of illicit drugs.
“Economically it simply makes more sense to support individuals to manage their addictions and avoid mass incarceration of people who use illegal drugs due to the costs related to policing and imprisonment” states Caissie. “The evidence is clear, scientific research supports harm reduction policies and rationalizes its use and effectiveness as a substance use policy in Canada.”
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For more information contact:
Fred Phelps, MSW, RSW
Executive Director
casw@casw-acts.ca
613-729-6668