Harper keeps hard line on drugs despite regional trends

Ross Aikins considers the evolution of substance use and how universities shape the debate.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper may find himself at odds with some other western hemisphere leaders who want to relax drug laws for offences such as marijuana use and provide “alternatives” to jail time.

Harper flies to Panama Friday for the two-day Summit of the Americas, where more than 30 leaders from the Organization of American States (OAS) will gather.

In recent years, there has been a growing movement among some of those nations — particularly those in South America devastated by violence from drug cartels — to find new ways to tackle the drug problem.

At the last summit, in Colombia in 2012, Harper resisted calls to consider decriminalization of some drugs.

On Wednesday, the prime minister’s spokesman indicated Harper hasn’t changed his mind.

“We are opposed to decriminalization because dangerous and addictive drugs tear families...

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