Pubdate: Thu, 15 Aug 2002
Source: Eye Magazine (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 Eye Communications Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.eye.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/147
Author: Tim Meehan

POLITICAL SMOKESCREEN

Re "Don't hold your breath" (News, July 11). Sometimes what 
neo-conservatives like to call "judicial activism" is simply the end result 
of a do-nothing legislature.

As we have seen in the past with the abortion laws, it's much simpler -- 
and much more politically comfortable -- to let the courts change an 
unjust, unpopular and unconstitutional law.

I don't believe justice minister Martin Cauchon will ever get a chance to 
table legislation decriminalizing cannabis, simply because the Supreme 
Court will issue their ruling before the bill even makes it out of committee.

The only people that seem to like the status quo fall into two broad 
categories: first, American politicians and a few well-intentioned but 
misinformed community groups -- who maintain an ostrichlike attitude toward 
some drugs and not others -- and second, the police unions, because any 
change to the laws are seen as affecting the continued employment of some 
of their members.

What a lot of Canadians would like to hear about, instead of the usual talk 
without action from Ottawa, is how our government plans to assure quality, 
avoid the imposition of sky-high "sin" taxes and maintain reasonable age 
controls in the inevitably re-legalized cannabis market.

TIM MEEHAN,

Communication Director, Ontario Consumers For Safe Access To Recreational 
Cannabis
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens