Chapter Two: History of Drug Criminalization and Its Current Impact
Early History
Throughout the 1700s and 1800s many curently or formally illegal drugs such as opium or cannabis were legal and used for medicinal purposes such as depression and insomnia relief etc. (Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, 2021).
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The late 1800s and early 1900s saw prohibition start to take shape in Canada when public views started to change and values shifted toward sobriety and moral purity, in addition to the uncertainity of medical professionals surrounding unregulated medication and colonial perspectives on drugs that viewed them as a threat to western morality (Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, 2021).
The War on Opium and The Control of Narcotics
1908
The Opium Act was passed, with disproportionately high penalties for anyone creating and selling opium for non-medicinal purposes. This was one of the first steps of Canada’s prohibitive approach - one that developed during Canada's colonization and the on the basis of racial prejudice. This means that drug policy developed to result in a crisis disproportionately affects Canadians of colour through areas such as racial profiling, harsh sentencing for drug crime and a dangerous drug supply (Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, 2021).
Important Figure: Mackenzie King
The 10th prime minister of Canada for 22 years (1920s-1940s).
The next decade saw changes to legislation leading
to the 1920 Opium and Narcotic Drug Act which extended
the list of prohibited drugs.
At the same time, Mackenzie King created the narcotic division, which
gave the RCMP significant power to enforce their particularly punitive
drug laws (Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, 2021).
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Influential politicians and powerful figures such as Mackenzie King can generate and normalize support for punitive drug approach through the use of common sense. Common sense means to think and behave in a way that is normal at that time. But who sets these norms and policies 'normalcy'? - it's our leaders, those in power, and political figures. Using common sense to establish a dominant way of thinking is what sociologists refer to as hegemony (University Quick Course, 2018).
1920s
Sociological Term Breakdown: Hegemony
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Cultural hegemony refers to dominance in ideas and ways of thinking. For example, in North America, there is a hegemonic idea around harsh and punishing responses being the only way to reduce use and stop overdoses and drug crime. Hegemonic ideas are spread to and then agreed upon by the public when those in power are able to take advantage of the public's common sense (University Quick Course, 2018).
Common sense refers to the shared understanding and knowledge used by people to make judgements about their lives. If powerful individuals and institutions can guide common sense into meaning that things that benefit their agenda while simultaneously saying things can never be changed - have achieved a dominant way of thinking or hegemony (University Quick Course, 2018).
Public Perception and More Severe Consequences
1940s/50s
The public’s association between addiction and criminality increase. Thus, the support for harsher consequences for drug offences increased as well.
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Unfortunately, the enforcement of these laws and punishments held considerable bias towards Canadians of colour (Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, 2021).
Canada's culture of severe punishment for drug related offenses remains in place even today
1960
This support of increasingly harsh responses to drug use continued into the 60s with the Narcotic Control Act being enacted in 1961. The act legalized discrimination and further punishments towards people who used drugs.
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This occured despite the 60s' counter culture movement which held a more open mind on topics like drugs such as cannabis and the increased use of illegal drugs (Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, 2021).
Canada's Federal Drug Strategies
1980
2000s
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In 1987 Canada’s federal government issued the Canada Drug Strategy that promoted 4 main approaches to dealing with drugs: prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and enforcement which had the most dedicated resources (Toronto Public Health, 2018).
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2007 the federal government released the National Anti-Drug Strategy which further prioritized enforcement and removed harm reduction as one of its 4 pillars. This new strategy involved a fear-based educational approach and creating mandatory minimum sentences for drug-related crimes even on a minor scale (Toronto Public Health, 2018).
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Finally in 2016, the current Canadian Drugs & Substances Strategy was established which returned to the 4-pillar approach and refocused on harm reduction (Toronto Public Health, 2018).
The Impact of Canada's Severe Punishments
As explained in the video Canada's drug prohibition and harsh drug policy have had many unintended consequences such as:
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A very dangerous drug supply that endangers the lives of users
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The prevalence of smaller and stronger drugs such as fentanyl
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Violence between members of the drug trade making communities more dangerous
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The overpolicing of groups vulnereable such as youth and those in poverty
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Disproportionate representation of people of colour within prison populations.
Evidently the policies commonly used for drug offenses have not only been inefficient at addressing issues around drugs but have resulted in more harm than good in many communities