Pubdate: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 Source: Associated Press (Wire) Copyright: 2003 Associated Press Author: Liz Austin, Associated Press Writer Cited: Office of National Drug Control Policy (www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov ) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/walters.htm (Walters, John) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) DRUG CZAR: CANADIAN DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA WOULD EXACERBATE AMERICAN DRUG PROBLEM DETROIT -- The United States is being inundated with potent marijuana from Canada, and the problem would be exacerbated if that nation decriminalized the drug, the U.S. drug czar said Friday. While marijuana possession would remain illegal under the proposed Canadian legislation, those found with about a half ounce or less would receive a citation similar to a traffic ticket. Some Canadian drug traffickers have used selective breeding to grow marijuana that has up to 30 percent content of THC, the psychoactive chemical found in marijuana, drug czar John P. Walters said. In comparison, much of the marijuana used in the 1970s had less than 1 percent content of THC. High-potency marijuana is more likely to cause addiction and health problems, officials have said. "The kind of marijuana coming from Canada is essentially the crack of marijuana," Walters said in a news conference at a Detroit drug treatment center. "It is dangerous. It is destructive." A multibillion dollar industry has emerged in Canada to produce and distribute drugs to the United States, said Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. "The problem is the political leadership in Canada has been utterly unable to come to grips with this," he said. "They're talking about (decriminalization) while Rome burns." The Canadian proposal would boost penalties for growing and trafficking marijuana, noted Mike Murphy, a spokesman for Justice Minister Martin Cauchon. He also said Canada's proposal is similar to decriminalization laws adopted in several U.S. states. But Murphy said Walters is exaggerating the amount of marijuana exported by Canada and the potency of it. "We all have to be careful about the selective use of information," he said. Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano said the proposed decriminalization of marijuana could create big problems for southeastern Michigan. Tens of thousands of vehicles cross the Detroit-Windsor, Ontario border every day. Three people were arrested in April after customs agents found 50 pounds of marijuana hidden in the trash compartment of a garbage truck. "It's obvious that things that cross over legally over the border also have a greater opportunity to cross over illegally," Ficano said. Walters made his comments while in Detroit to discuss new efforts to fight the city's drug problem. Government and police officials and community group leaders have created four task forces to tackle the issue. One of the task forces will design and implement after-school drug prevention programs for children. Another will try to decrease the display and sale of drug paraphernalia in Detroit stores. The other two will focus on treatment and recovery and the reduction of drug trafficking. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom