Kelowna RCMP say they aren't targeting casual pot smokers

Recreational pot smokers aren't the reason Kelowna leads the country for marijuana possession charges, according to RCMP.

Newly released figures from Statistics Canada show Kelowna had 251 chargesper100,000 people, while the national average was 79.

• Police report a pot possession incident every 9 minutes in Canada

"We target people who are prolific offenders in our community. That small group who is responsible for themajorityofcrime.

"We target people who frequent our crime hot spots and people involved in the drug trade,"said SuperintendentNickRomanchukwithKelownaRCMP.

He said focusing on the high-profile offendersis lowering the city's crime rate.

"I believe what we are doing is very effective," he said, "by increasing drug enforcement able to reduce overall crime in the community,which we have done."

"When somebodyis removed from thecommunity, they can'tcommit crimein that community," saidRomanchuk.

Costing taxpayers

But one local academic thinks the marijuana crackdown is a poor use of resources.

"It costs taxpayers and citizens a whole lot," saidZachWalsh, a professor of Psychology at UBCOkanagan.

"Awhole lot of money for policing and disability for people who are no longer able to take advantage of opportunities because they have a criminal record," he said.

Walsh thinks it is a shamethat Kelowna tops the list for most arrests in the country for possessionof marijuana.

"I don't think going after a failed prohibition policy is the answer anywhere," said Walsh.

To hear the full interview listen to the audio labelled Kelowna RCMP say they aren't targetting casual pot smokersonthe CBC'sDaybreak South.