Pubdate: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 Source: Lindsay Daily Post (CN ON) Copyright: 2002 Lindsay Daily Post Contact: http://www.thepost.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2333 Author: Shelah Brooks Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) LEGALIZATION DEBATE SPARKS POLICE CONCERN Local News - KAWARTHA LAKES - The idea of legalizing marijuana has sparked a flame in local law enforcement agencies as the Senate proposes the idea once again. The call for legalizing the substance refers to allowing the production and sale of marijuana to any Canadian over 16-years-old. Kawartha Lakes Police Service Chief Randy Martin said he has great concern over hearing nothing more from the Senate other than they are considering the legalization of the drug. He is also concerned with, should the government choose to legalize the drug, how enforcement agencies expect to regulate the use of the drug. "How do you regulate acceptable behaviour as a result of getting high on marijuana in reference to motor vehicles and such?" asked Martin. "Is it acceptable to have a physician operating on you having smoked a marijuana cigarette? And how does one monitor an acceptable limit in society as is the case with alcohol." Martin recognizes that the future could bring some kind of legalization of the drug, with the daily charges of drug possession in society today. "Because of our daily burden from possession of narcotic charges in court, I fully expect that the government may well cause it to be dealt with by virtue of issuing a ticket if you had under a certain amount in your possession and in the past it was suggested to the government that perhaps, an acceptable amount may be around 30 grams, which would be equivalent to three cigarettes," said Martin. City of Kawartha Lakes Detachment Commander Gary Couture is also opposed to the legalization of the drug, and says that even with the amount of drug charges, there has to be some other way. "There's a lot of people in custody, in correctional facilities, but there may be other solutions without going to the legalization aspect," he said. For the complete story, check out the September 6 edition of the Daily Post. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh