POLICY FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM:

WORKING TOGETHER TO REDEFINE
CANADA’S DRUG STRATEGY

REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
ON NON-MEDICAL USE OF DRUGS

Paddy Torsney, M.P.
Chair

December 2002

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAIR’S FOREWORD

GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS

CHAPTER 1: MANDATE OF THE COMMITTEE

CHAPTER 2: USE AND HARMFUL USE OF SUBSTANCES, AND
DEPENDENCE IN CANADA

1.    WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE PREVALENCE OF USE AND
HARMFUL USE OF SUBSTANCES, AND DEPENDENCE?

2.    ILLICIT SUBSTANCES

(a)   Cocaine

(b)   Heroin and other opioid analgesics

(c)   Amphetamine-type stimulants

(d)   Ecstasy

(e)   Hallucinogens

(f)    Cannabis

3.    COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS — USE AND HARMFUL USE OF
SUBSTANCES

CHAPTER 3: CANADA’S DRUG STRATEGY

1.    HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF CANADA’S DRUG STRATEGY

(a)   Phase I: 1987-1992

(b)   Phase II: 1992-1997

(c)   Phase III: 1997-2002

2.    NATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY: ACHIEVEMENTS AND SHORTCOMINGS
OF PHASE I (1987-1992)

3.    CANADA’S DRUG STRATEGY: ACHIEVEMENTS AND SHORTCOMINGS
OF PHASE II (1992-1997)

4.    CANADA’S DRUG STRATEGY: ACHIEVEMENTS AND SHORTCOMINGS
OF PHASE III (1997-2002)

5.    WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

6.    OVERSEEING CANADA’S DRUG STRATEGY

7.    COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS — CANADA’S DRUG STRATEGY

CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE

1.    NATIONAL SURVEYS

2.    RESEARCH ON THE USE AND HARMFUL USE OF SUBSTANCES
AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

(a)   Coordinated Efforts at the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

(i)       National Clearinghouse on Substance Abuse

(ii)      The Virtual Clearinghouse on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other
Drugs (VCATOD)

(iii)     Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use
(CCENDU)

(iv)     Health, Education and Enforcement in Partnership

(v)      National Working Group on Addictions Policy

(vi)     Canadian Executive Council on Addiction (CECA)

(vii)    Conclusion

(b)   The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) — Institute of
Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA)

(c)   Other Federal Initiatives

3.    SETTING RESEARCH PRIORITIES AND RESOURCES

4.    COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS — RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE

CHAPTER 5: THE USE AND HARMFUL USE OF SUBSTANCES:
PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES

1.    PREVENTION AND EDUCATION

1.1  COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS — PREVENTION AND EDUCATION

2.    TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION

(a)   Delivery of Services: The Federal Government’s Role

(b)   Shortcomings in the Delivery of Treatment and Rehabilitation
Services in Canada

(i)       Availability of Treatment

(ii)      Challenges in the Delivery of Treatment and Rehabilitation

(iii)     Treating Opiate Addiction

(a)   Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT)

(b)   Heroin Maintenance Treatment

2.1  COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS — TREATMENT AND
REHABILITATION

3.    HARM REDUCTION

(a)   Issues Related to the Definition of Harm Reduction

(b)   Reducing the Harm Associated with Injection Drug Use

(c)   Harm Reduction Measures

(i)       Needle Exchange Program (NEPs)

(ii)      Safe Injection Facilities

(d)   Program Evaluation

3.1  COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS — HARM REDUCTION

4.    MISUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

4.1  COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS – MISUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

CHAPTER 6: SUBSTANCE USE AND PUBLIC SAFETY

1.    THE CONTROLLED DRUGS AND SUBSTANCES ACT

(a)   Criminal Offences and Penalties

(b)   Regulatory Compliance

2.    ALTERNATIVES TO PROSECUTION AND/OR INCARCERATION

(a)   Drug Treatment Courts

(b)   Mandated Treatment

2.1  COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS — ALTERNATIVES TO PROSECUTION
AND/OR INCARCERATION

3.    CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

(a)   Security of Institutions

(b)   Health of Offenders

3.1  COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS — CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

4.    BORDER CONTROL

4.1  COMMITTEE OBSERVATION — BORDER CONTROL

5.    ORGANIZED CRIME

5.1  COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS — ORGANIZED CRIME

CHAPTER 7: INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND LEGISLATIVE REFORM

1.    INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

(a)   The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961)

(b)   The Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971)

(c)   The Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances (1988)

2.    CANADIAN DOMESTIC LAW

CHAPTER 8: DRUG POLICIES ABROAD

1.    THE UNITED STATES

2.    SWITZERLAND

3.    GERMANY

4.    THE NETHERLANDS

CHAPTER 9: CANNABIS

1.    MANDATE OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NON-MEDICAL USE OF DRUGS

2.    LEGISLATIVE OPTIONS

3.    COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS — CANNABIS

APPENDIX A — LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS

APPENDIX B — TERMS OF REFERENCE

APPENDIX C — LIST OF WITNESSES

APPENDIX D — LIST OF BRIEFS

REQUEST FOR GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT — CANADIAN ALLIANCE

SUPPLEMENTARY OPINION — BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS

SUPPLEMENTARY OPINION — NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS