Correctional Services Canada has already implemented a series of harm reduction initiatives to decrease the harm associated with drug use in its institutions. The initiatives include providing bleach for sterilizing injection equipment and implementing the methadone maintenance program to treat those suffering from severe opiate addiction. They concede a drug free penal system, although ideal, is an unlikely occurrence. It is suggested that elimination of THC in urinalysis tests is a logical extension of CSC’s current harm reduction approaches.

Most significantly, there is a real need for CSC to directly study the issue of inmates switching from soft to hard drugs. The methodological issues associated with using urinalysis results as the primary determination to assess levels of drug use, and detection of a switch from soft drugs to hard drugs, is simply inadequate. CSC needs to place a priority on determining if the urinalysis testing program is causing some offenders to switch to less detectable drugs.

It is suggested here that detection measures should continue to focus on importation into the institution thus fulfilling the mandate set out by the Commissioner’s Directive. However, there must be an understanding that there will be drugs within the institution regardless. Correctional Services Canada should continue to search visitors of institutions and rely on internal security reports to target the suppliers of narcotics within the institutions, thus effectively combating the drug trade that brings systemic violence. However, they should not force a low-risk behavior like cannabis use completely underground potentially leading drug users to adopt life threatening behavior resulting from a shift to harder drugs.

CSC has conducted research looking at the relationship between substance abuse and criminal activity. For example, a recent CSC study found that alcohol is more closely associated with violent crime, such as rape, assault and murder, while illicit drugs are more closely associated with crimes of acquisition, such as breaking and entering and theft (Brochu et al. 2001). These studies document a connection between alcohol, illicit drugs and crime, but failed to distinguish between specific types of drugs. Put simply, one cannot accurately portray the link between drug use and crime if all illegal drugs are classed together indiscriminately. A more discerning approach needs to be developed in order to accurately assess the true relationship between substance abuse and crime, and to develop a more accurate assessment of the effects of drug use within federal institutions. Perhaps the more appropriate solution is to look at the actual harm that the use of a substance causes an institution rather than creating policies that treat all drugs as equally harmful. Currently, CSC policy states they shall maintain “drug free institutions.” Perhaps, we could look at cannabis use in terms of comprehensive harm reduction rather than continuing to place it beside cocaine and heroin in the manner that we approach its use?