Pubdate: Thu, 05 Sep 2002 Source: Sun News (SC) Copyright: 2002 Sun Publishing Co. Contact: http://web.thesunnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/987 Author: Tom Cohen, Associated Press CANADIAN PANEL URGES LEGALIZING MARIJUANA USE TORONTO - A parliamentary committee called for legalizing marijuana use among adults, increasing pressure on the government to shift drug laws away from the zero-tolerance policy of the United States. The report by the Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs recommended that Canada adopt a system that regulates marijuana the same way as alcohol, and expunge criminal records for marijuana possession. "There is no good reason to subject the consumers of cannabis to the application of criminal law," said Sen. Pierre Nolin of the Progressive Conservative party. "In a free society as ours, it's up to the individual to decide whether to consume cannabis or not." Though not binding, the report will force Prime Minister Jean Chretien's Liberal Party to explain what provisions it accepts or rejects and why. Under current law, marijuana possession is illegal in Canada. Last year, the government passed rules allowing eligible medical patients to grow and possess marijuana, but it has yet to create a distribution network. U.S. antidrug groups say liberalizing Canadian drug laws would increase access to illegal drugs in the United States. - --- MAP posted-by: Alex