Pubdate: Wed, 07 May 2003 Source: Guelph Mercury (CN ON) Copyright: 2003 Guelph Mercury Newspapers Limited Contact: http://www.guelphmercury.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1418 ASK WASHINGTON FIRST Prime Minister Jean Chretien's announcement in Ottawa last week that he plans to decriminalize marijuana did not set the Canadian capital on its ear. That mild proposal has been aired before. and the reviews are generally mixed but ho-hum. In Washington, however, the Chretien announcement is being seen as a direct affront to the administration of President George Bush. It is as if the Canadian prime minister was expected to pre-clear any such policy initiatives with his betters in the U.S. capital. In particular, Chretien is now being held responsible for raising the hackles of John Walters, Bush's drug czar. Walters was livid last week. He has accused Ottawa of allowing "poison" to be shipped to his country. "You expect your friends to stop the movement of poison to your neighbourhood," he said. "And that is what's going on here. If we were sending toxic substances to your young people, you would be and should be upset." In fact, pot decriminalization does not involve the legalization of anything, much less does it encourage the exporting of poisons. It does not permit trafficking. It merely -- sensibly -- lets police issue tickets for people who are caught with small amounts of marijuana in their possession. Similar legislation is in effect in 14 U.S. states. So why is Walters so upset? Perhaps, as Deputy Prime Minister suggests, he doesn't understand the Canadian government's intent. Then again, perhaps he merely wants to pull the strings. - --- MAP posted-by: Alex