Federal Minister of Health Tony Clement promised a bevy of new health-related federal initiatives in an address to the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) annual General Council in Vancouver Aug. 20, including a crackdown on illicit drug use, a renewed tobacco-control strategy aimed at reducing national smoking rates to 12% from 19% by 2011 and more stringent regulations to prevent the import of counterfeit or contaminated food, drugs and consumer products.
Clement was most emphatic about the need for a tough new national strategy to prevent illicit drug use, indicating that the government is determined to redress the long-standing absence of a “significant anti-drug campaign,” a condition that he asserted has led to Canada having the highest percentage of marijuana users (16.8%) in the industrial world.
Canada's current marijuana policies have spawned “an entire generation that is confused about whether pot is legal,” he added.
Clement later told reporters the scientific evidence of the efficacy of safe injection sites is entirely equivocal. He welcomes the public and academic debate, which will help government make an informed decision.
Clement also indicated the recent spate of recalls on products manufactured abroad, including toothpaste (South Africa) and children's toys (China), have led to a Health Canada review of standards and regulations related to foreign goods.
Clement was conciliatory on matters of systemic reform of the health care system, repeatedly stressing that although the Conservative government defends the principles of the Canada Health Act, it believes that there is plenty of room for “innovation” within the system, particularly with respect to the private delivery of services to “meet demands on the system in the future.”
Even staunch proponents of public health care were reassured. “It's really important that people not fall into the trap of believing that innovation means privatization. Those 2 things should not be equated in our minds. Quite the contrary, actually,” said Dr. Danielle Martin, chair of the board of Canadian Doctors for Medicare. — Wayne Kondro, CMAJ
