Pubdate: Tue, 21 Mar 2000 Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB) Copyright: 2000, Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: #250, 4990-92 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T6B 3A1 Canada Fax: (780) 468-0139 Website: http://www.canoe.ca/EdmontonSun/ Forum: http://www.canoe.ca/Chat/home.html Author: Kim Bradley COP, POTHEAD FIND COMMON GROUND An Edmonton Police Service deputy chief and a local pot grower have something in common. They both agree decriminalizing pot may actually drive down the street price and force street dealers out of business. A local 20-year-old pot grower with a lengthy criminal record for marijuana trafficking said he would stop selling pot if he could buy it legally. "There's always going to be independent dealers, but the price would go down because it wouldn't be so risky anymore," said the man, who cannot be named because he was convicted as a youth for pot trafficking. "And what would be the point if there's no money in it?" "There's a certain logic to that," agreed deputy chief Colin Vann after hearing the dealer's opinion. "The price of any product, if it can be legally obtained, is subject to competition ... and lower prices. "The profit margin would be reduced and therefore so would the number of participants in growing pot. I suppose it wouldn't be a great deal different than making wine and brewing beer in the basement." The comments come after the federal Liberal party passed a resolution supporting the decriminalization of pot possession during a convention on Sunday. The local grower, who has seven plants worth about $3,000 flourishing in his home, said it's about time. "We're not hard-core criminals," he said. "The cops should be worrying about the murderers. They should be thanking us for keeping the population glued to the couch in front of their TVs with a bag of chips." Vann didn't agree. "I'm not an advocate for decriminalizing it, but I do believe the issue needs to be examined. The quality of marijuana over the past number of years has increased in potency significantly, so I think that whole issue has to be looked at again." In Ottawa, Justice Minister and Edmonton MP Anne McLellan said decriminalizing possession of small amounts of pot is not on the government's legislative radar. "I am not going to move on it any time soon," McLellan said after giving a speech to the Canadian Police Association. The police association wants the law to remain intact while the Canadian Association of Police Chiefs says possessing 30 grams or less of pot should not lead to a criminal record. The chiefs argue dwindling police resources could be better spent on other crimes instead of busting potheads. - --- MAP posted-by: Allan Wilkinson