Pubdate: Wed, 14 May 2003
Source: Meridian Booster (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003, The Lloydminster Meridian Booster
Contact:  http://www.bowesnet.com/lloydminster/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1590
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

EDUCATION BEFORE DECRIMINALIZATION

It appears the federal government is spinning in circles when it comes to 
deciding the direction of its own marijuana legislation.

The feds are considering fining small-time pot users as little as $100 
under decriminalization laws it hopes to introduce in the House of Commons. 
However, the Justice Department's most recent change -- that possession of 
less than 15 grams of weed would net a person a fine equivalent to a 
traffic violation -- comes a short time after the department looked 
confident it was going another way. It indicated it would accept a 
recommendation by a special House of Commons committee on illicit drugs, 
which proposed criminal sanctions be lifted for less than 30 grams. But 
that's old news now.

With all this scrambling around by the Liberals, it would be a safe bet to 
say the party isn't ready to tackle this topic until it has more 
information. And even by then, proposed legislation will likely sit on the 
backburner if Paul Martin becomes Canada's next prime minister.

Health Minister Anne McLellan is in support of decriminalizing pot, but 
only if a national drug strategy is set in place by the government.

Common sense, on the other hand, would tell us we need a drug strategy 
before implementing a drug law that may have serious implications across 
the country -- and even at the Canada-U.S. border.

If legislation is passed in Ottawa to decriminalize marijuana, it will be 
apparent the U.S. government will make it more difficult for Canadians to 
cross the border.

And who could blame the White House for issuing such a warning?

With the growing use of B.C. bud -- a stronger, more potent line of pot -- 
there's no doubt Canada should be on the radar of countries to keep an eye 
on concerning drugs.

The federal government is telling us to ignore the fact that 
decriminalizing marijuana could lead to wide-spread use, forget that pot 
could more easily end up in school yards, forget that smoking marijuana 
could lead to harder drugs, and that marijuana impairs a person much more 
quickly than alcohol. After all, who cares about the consequences when it 
comes to those sacred public opinion polls.

The truth of the matter is, if Canadians knew more about the drug and were 
increasingly educated by the government about what marijuana could do to 
this country, public opinion would no doubt be swayed the other way.

Unfortunately the federal government is doing nothing in terms of educating 
our kids, and a national drug strategy won't even be out until 
decriminalization laws are passed.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom