The argument should be made that more damage is done, directly and indirectly by the contributions of prohibition, than by the drugs themselves. Drug enforcement in North America has become a folly of oppression. B.C. The much-needed discussion around what to do regarding the impact of drug use and abuse encounters barriers right from the start. The largest lobby group in North America for continued, or increased, prohibition is U.S. law enforcement and corrections personnel. This is reflected in certain provinces in Canada.
Leadership regarding substance abuse is scarce, entrenched and often biased.
In the City of Vancouver, Mayor Philip Owen, a recent convert to a practical harm reduction initiative, has been struggling with the ongoing dynamics of a federally funded initiative called the Vancouver Agreement. But little will happen until both the province and the federal government put money on the table to develop overdue resources. We are struggling to achieve consensus in what proposed course of action to follow or support. To achieve a collective, rational approach, we need information regarding drug use in our community. There are already numerous studies and documents that are deserving of attention.