A Canadian author who has studied the use of cannabis, and written on the subject, believes the legalisation of drugs is the next step for Bermuda.

A regular visitor to the island, Bill Bogart — who wrote Off the Street: Legalising Drugs — says education is a key component to making the drug legal.

“You can push for legalisation and regulation, and at the same time be a strong voice warning against harm,” said Mr Bogart.

He sees attitudes shifting in what was once a highly controversial position to argue.

“I don’t use them (drugs) myself,” Mr Bogart cautioned. “My drug of choice is alcohol. My belief is that we should not incarcerate people for taking a substance, but should have a public education component for the curtailment of harmful use.

Mr Bogart has written other books on the same subject and has appeared widely in the North American media to argue his case.

An advocate of a phased approach, he believes the process should begin with the legalisation of cannabis.

“It depends on the level of political willingness to stare the war on drugs in the face and see that it hasn’t worked,” he told The Royal Gazette.

“The answer must come from each society, each country, but also the international community.”

He pointed to the “opioid epidemic” sweeping the United States and Canada, which Bermuda has experienced with the incursion of the drug fentanyl, which can be used to adulterate heroin.

“My position confronts the underworld,” he said. “It is prohibition that has given rise to this enormous illicit market.”

Mr Bogart, who has visited Bermuda more than 30 times since the 1970s, cautioned that he could not speak to the local specifics in drug use, but said he believed that eventual legalisation would be unlikely to result in an increase.

“We might see an increase simply because people would then tend to be more honest about use,” he said.

“Secondly, we must always distinguish between use and harmful use, such as use by kids or consumption that has a negative impact.”

In his view, someone who smokes a joint once or twice a month would be unlikely to have a problem.