Economic Fact Sheet: Facts and Figures Relating to Illegal Drugs

Set of facts and figures taken from various sources, about the costs associated with drug use in Canada and BC. The author reviews Canadian expenditures on police and the legal system, projected expenditures on HIV treatment and other health care for those who use drugs, and the costs of crime associated with the criminalization of drugs. He compares these figures with the estimated (much lower) costs of providing better treatment and harm reduction services for drug users. He contrasts the current expenditures on policing with the potential revenues that could be gained if drugs like cannabis were decriminalized, regulated and taxed by the government.