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.
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MAP posted-by: Alex