Drug Offences In Canada

In More Harm Than Good, Carter, Boyd and MacPherson take a critical look at the current state of Canadian drug policy and raise key questions about the effects of Canada’s increasing involvement in and commitment to the “war on drugs.” A primer on Canadian drug policy, the analysis in More Harm Than Good is shaped by critical sociology and feminist perspectives on drugs and incorporates insights not only from individuals who are on the front lines of drug policy in Canada — treatment and service workers — but also from those who live with the consequences of that policy on a daily basis — people who use criminalized drugs. Finally, the authors propose realistic alternatives to today’s failed policy approach. “Your book really expanded thinking and understanding and had a big influence on students critical and reflective thought. Readings sparked rich conversations about their own hopes and wishes for the field, broader social and political responses and the impact on youth and families affected by substances.” - Stephanie McCune, University of Victoria Please note: an error occurred with the printing of this book, and one of the sidebars was not printed. It is available to download here. We sincerely apologize for this oversight.

Long-listed for the George Ryga Award. Canada’s drug laws are constantly changing. But what does Canada’s history of drug prohibition say about its future? Busted is an illustrated history of Canadian drug prohibition and resistance to that prohibition. Reproducing over 170 archival and contemporary drawings, paintings, photographs, film stills and official documents from the 1700s to the present, Susan Boyd shows how Canada’s drug prohibition policies evolved and were shaped by white supremacy, colonization, race, class and gender discrimination. This history demonstrates that prohibition and criminalization produces harm rather than benefits, including the arrest of thousands of Canadians each year for cannabis-related offences, and the current drug overdose crisis. . Visually engaging and approachably written, Busted is a timely examination of Canada’s history of drug control and movements against that control. Susan Boyd argues that in order to chart the future, it is worthwhile for us as Canadians to know our history of prohibition and how it continues to intersects with colonization and race, class, and gender injustice.

Drug-Impaired Driving in Canada is a ready reference for prosecutors, defence lawyers, and the judiciary, covering the matters unique to drug-impaired driving cases. Key areas covered include specimen testing for drugs, specialized experts, new legislation, and caselaw. This text provides a breakdown of the issues that pervade these cases.

As rates of illegal drug use increase, the debates over drug policy heat up. While some believe penalties should be harsher, others advocate complete decriminalisation. Certainly, debate over the 'war on drugs' is not new. In the early 1920s, as the drive for Chinese Exclusion gathered steam, Canadians blamed the Chinese for the growing use of opium and other drugs, and parliamentarians passed extremely harsh drug laws to counter this use. These laws remained in place until the 1960s. In Jailed for Possession, Catherine Carstairs examines the impact of these drug laws on users' health, work lives, and relationships. In the middle of the century, drug users regularly went to jail for up to two years for possession of even the smallest amount of opium, morphine, heroin, or cocaine, often spending more time incarcerated than on the street. As enforcement increased and drugs became harder to obtain, drug use became an increasingly central preoccupation, making it almost impossible for users to hold down steady jobs, support families, or maintain solid relationships. Jailed for Possession is the first social history of drug use in Canada and provides a careful examination of drug users and their regulators including doctors, social workers, and police officers.