From drug bust to mind bust

Franois Castilloux
The recent drug bust in West Nipissing indeed helped

dangers of smoking, impaired driving, under-age

clean our community from illegal drugs. However,

drinking and consuming illegal drugs than awareness

the fight against harmful substances is far from over

of the dangers of alcohol abuse. Another result is the

as alcohol and tobacco remain today among the most

drug bust in West Nipissing provoked more reactions

harmful drugs in Canada (CBC News Alcohol,

when alcohol is the most recurrent substance found

tobacco worse than pot, ecstasy: study, March

in the Sturgeon Falls court reports. Some believe this

2007). The recent drug bust showed the danger of

subject is not worth more discussion; I will show that

not only illegal drugs, but also the danger of all

alcohol should not only attract greater concerns, but

harmful substances and not to forget alcohol and

also provoke questions in our current attitude and

tobacco. What allows me to judge alcohol and tobacco

regulations.

non-separately from the illegal drugs? When

representing security or talking in the name of

The report The costs of substance abuse in Canada

security, we cannot disregard the harmful effects of

(2002) identifies alcohol and tobacco not only as the

all substances and West Nipissing isnt an exception.

two most expensive substances on our health care,

In the name of security, the drug bust has been

but also the substances from which most deaths are

successful and should also provoke questions in West

attributed to their abuse. For example, In 2002, an

Nipissing regarding the laws and attitude about the

estimated total of 37,209 Canadians died from

controlled substances of tobacco and especially

tobacco use. () The economic costs of tobacco abuse

alcohol.

were estimated to be $17 billion. Regarding alcohol,

a net total of 4,258 deaths were attributed to alcohol

The substances of alcohol and tobacco bear a very

() Alcohol accounted for about $14.6 billion in

different social and legal status compared to many

costs. The report also covers illegal drugs from

other substances, and this, since the early ages of the

which a total of 1,695 Canadians died as a result of

Western World. To a point, some misconceptions

illegal drug use, accounting for 0.8% of all deaths. ()

have emerged along history, and this, giving

Costs attributed to illegal drugs were estimated to be

respected status to tobacco and especially to alcohol

approximately $8.2 billion. When combining the cost

and associating harm mostly to illegal drugs. For

attributed to alcohol and tobacco, we are shocked to

example, some believe alcohol is not a drug but

realize that in 2002 alcohol and tobacco combined

something else or alcohol is a safe drug. These

made 78.3 % of all cost generated from substance

kinds of misconceptions are dangerous not only

abuse. Into this light, the misconceptions become

because they distort our perception of reality and

obvious. Against what it is generally believed more

then distort our judgment, but worse because they

harm and expenses are generated from the controlled

distort our values and the way we see priorities. One

substance of alcohol and tobacco than all the illegal

of the results is we often raise more awareness of the

drugs combined. In other words: Drugs that are legal

cause at least as much damage, if not more, than

and the public and authorities are not proactive to

drugs that are illicit" (CBC News: Alcohol ranked

recognize this. To be faithful to security, we have to

most harmful drug, 2012). The most interesting

revise our approach not only towards illegal drugs,

thing is this: alcohol and tobacco are not only legal,

but all harmful substances notably alcohol.

but also controlled. It brings in doubts the

sufficiency of these regulations and bears irony of

The drug bust protected us indeed against the harm

why alcohol and tobacco are not considered like

of illegal drugs in West Nipissing. However, it did not

dangerous drugs. Moreover, Health Canada and the

protect us against the continuing harm of the

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse adopted alcohol

controlled substances and misconceptions. Our

as their first priority since 2005. However, the public

current regulations and attitude regarding alcohol

attitude and the authorities still tolerates well the

and tobacco allows the latter to remain very

general aspect of alcohol and the subject of its

expensive and harmful today. The public and

regulations and enforcement remains pretty much

authorities are more proactive to expose the harm of

unchanged. For a country that continues to

illegal drugs, smoking and impaired-driving and not

experience fast transformations, the dominant

the harm of alcohol. Why? Could they also be under

attitude doesnt change fast regarding this subject.

the spell of misconceptions or just not entirely

For example, the campaign Drugs Not 4 Me has

working in the name of security? If the profit made

been created for the prevention of drug use and

from the sale of alcohol and tobacco is greater than

abuse among youth. Nonetheless, it has been

the cost of their harmful effects, this might explain

criticized for disregarding the dangers of alcohol

our confusing regulations. If profit is the reason

which is by far the most common substance used by

behind all this, the governments and authorities are

youth. (Substance Abuse in Canada: Youth in Focus,

therefore not entirely working for security and it is

2nd ed., 2009). The gateway drug is indeed alcohol,

unacceptable to claim doing so.