Pubdate: Fri, 13 Dec 2002
Source: London Free Press (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 The London Free Press a division of Sun Media Corporation.
Contact:  http://www.fyilondon.com/londonfreepress/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/243
Author: David Gamble, Free Press Parliamentary Bureau

LOOSEN POT LAWS AND FACE TIGHTER BORDER, U.S. WARNS

OTTAWA -- Looser marijuana laws in Canada will lead to even tighter 
security at the border, U.S. officials warned yesterday.

Drug patrols soon could shift their attention north from the Mexican border 
once the Liberal government decriminalizes pot possession, says a 
spokesperson for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

U.S. President George W. Bush's anti-drug czar John Walters also took aim 
at yesterday's Commons committee recommendation that possession of 30 grams 
of pot should result in nothing more than a ticket and no criminal record.

Drug Enforcement Administration spokesperson Will Glaspy said the U.S. 
still views pot as "an illegal, harmful and dangerous substance" and he 
hopes Canadian authorities get the information they need to make a "good" 
decision.

"What it would mean for the United States obviously would require us to put 
more emphasis and place more security along our northern border," Glaspy said.

Canadian Justice Minister Martin Cauchon has already said he's ready to 
roll on the decriminalization of marijuana for personal use by early next year.

Walters used a visit to Buffalo to sound off on the evils of marijuana, the 
increasing $5-billion US cross-border flow of Canadian-grown high-potency 
marijuana known as "B.C. Bud" and the dangers of easy marijuana laws.

"It makes security at the border tougher because this is a dangerous threat 
to our young people, given what we see and it makes the problem of 
controlling the border more difficult," Walters said after being asked 
about the committee recommendation.

Walters said the U.S. recognizes Canada is "a sovereign country" but the 
U.S. example shows pot use is addictive and expensive to society -- and 
shouldn't be encouraged.

Cauchon rebuffed the U.S. views, insisting Ottawa is only talking about 
decriminalizing "small quantities" -- not full legalization of pot, which 
he agreed would be a cause for concern for the Americans.

"I will analyse the report and I will analyse the future positions of the 
federal government on what is good for the entire Canadian society," 
Cauchon said, insisting Canada and the U.S. have "wonderful co-operation" 
in the war on drugs and organized crime.

Other recommendations by the Commons committee include:

- - More money for the government's drug abuse prevention program for young 
people.

- - A "renewed" national anti-drug strategy head by a commissioner with 
regular reports to Parliament.

- - No amnesty for the 600,000 Canadians who have been convicted of pot 
possession.

Canadian Alliance MP Kevin Sorenson agreed there could be trouble at the 
border if pot is decriminalized as the committee recommended.

He also and argued the possession limit should be five grams.
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