Pubdate: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 Source: Reuters (Wire) Copyright: 2003 Reuters Limited Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) BUSH TROUBLED BY CANADIAN MARIJUANA EXPORTS TO US WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush said on Friday he was troubled that Canada had become a source of potent marijuana and a key ingredient to the illegal drug methamphetamine for the United States. "The president cited his concern that Canada is a primary source of pseudoephedrine, which is exported to the United States and used in clandestine drug laboratories to make methamphetamine, and that Canada is an increasing source of high potency marijuana," the White House said. Bush made the findings in an annual report in which he graded the cooperation of countries on fighting illegal drugs. It concluded that Guatemala, Haiti and Myanmar are not doing enough to crack down on drug production and trafficking. The report, summarized by the White House, also cited an "alarming increase" in the quantity of the illegal drug ecstasy entering the United States, significant amounts of which it said were made in the Netherlands. Canada and the Netherlands were not cited as countries failing to cooperate. "The president expressed his desire to continue to work closely in a continuing partnership with the governments of the Netherlands and Canada to address these issues," the White House said. Guatemala, Haiti and Myanmar have "failed demonstrably" to meet their international obligations to combat drugs and to take steps demanded under U.S. law, the report said. But Bush immediately suspended the penalties -- chiefly the loss of most U.S. aid -- for Guatemala and Haiti on the grounds of U.S. national interest. Myanmar's government, harshly criticized by Washington for human rights abuses and for mismanaging the east Asian nation's economy, remains subject to the penalties. Bush identified the major drug-transit or drug-producing countries as Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh