Canadian Association of Police Chiefs Call For Decriminalization of Drugs

A call for the decriminalization of drugs comes from an unlikely source: the Canadian Association of Police Chiefs. The head of the organization came out with strong words against the current system, noting that arresting people for low-level possession crimes “has proven to be ineffective” and “does not save lives.” In its place, the police chiefs are asking that a task force be created to determine how to handle drug possession from a healthcare point of view that includes doing away with jail time for drug buyers. We can’t know the recommendations from a task force before they create the task force. But, it’s important to understand what the chiefs of police want. So, just what kind of policies might accompany their demands for the decriminalization of drugs? What the Decriminalization of Drugs Entails There are a few important changes that come with the decriminalization of drugs, however a drug-crazed free-for-all is not one of them. Decriminalization and legalization are vastly different concepts. Should decriminalization come to fruition, the state’s punishment for possession would change from jail time to small fines and a warning — and perhaps therapy. Drug traffickers, manufacturers, and dealers would still face tough consequences, but people caught with “individual dose amounts” would not be prosecuted. More fundamentally, however, the attitude toward illicit substance abusers would change from a model of punishment toward a model for help. This is an important distinction. In other words, the decriminalization of drugs would not happen in a vacuum. It would come alongside…

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Source : rxleaf
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