"Canada has not run a serious or significant anti-drug campaign for almost 20 years. The messages young people have received during the past several years have been confusing and conflicting to say the least," federal Health Minister Tony Clement said yesterday in a speech to the Canadian Medical Association in Vancouver.
Recent studies have shown that Canada has the highest number of people who use marijuana among developed nations. Clement blamed ambiguous messages for confusing young people about the drug. "The debate over whether to legalize marijuana, for example, has left an entire generation confused over whether or not pot is legal in Canada. Ladies and gentlemen, it is not," said Clement.
Meanwhile, the Health Minister was vague about whether the Insite injection clinic in Vancouver would stay open. "There has been more research done, and some of it has been questioning of the research that has already taken place and questioning of the methodology of those associated with Insite," he said.
Isra Levy, president of the National Specialty Society for Community Medicine called for Insite to remain open in an interview with The Globe and Mail, stating that "illicit drug use is indeed a scourge, it's the cause of untold misery for those ill with addiction and their loved ones."
Health Canada has allowed Insite to remain open until December 31, and will review whether or not the site will stay open. No date has been set for the announcement.
