Pubdate: Wed, 28 May 2003
Source: Wall Street Journal (US)
Copyright: 2003 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.wsj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487
Author: Joel Baglole, Staff Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/walters.htm (Walters, John)

CANADA TO DECRIMINALIZE SOME USE OF MARIJUANA

OTTAWA -- Angering U.S. officials, the Canadian government Wednesday 
unveiled in Parliament new legislation that decriminalizes the personal use 
of small amounts of marijuana, making possession of the drug a noncriminal 
offense punishable with a ticket and fine, similar to those issued for 
traffic infractions.

Calling the ticket and fine approach "alternative penalties," Canada's 
justice minister, Martin Cauchon, said drug use "is still harmful" and 
emphasized that "zero use of marijuana" remains the government's goal. 
However, Mr. Cauchon said previous efforts to combat drug use have failed. 
He noted that an estimated 100,000 Canadians use marijuana daily.

Mr. Cauchon said the government plans to pass the marijuana legislation 
into law by year end.

U.S. government and law-enforcement officials in recent months have 
expressed outrage with Canada's plans to relax marijuana laws. U.S. drug 
czar John Walters has said looser drug laws in Canada could result in 
tighter security along the U.S. border. Exact figures are hard to come by, 
but some police groups estimate 10 billion Canadian dollars (US$7.28 
billion) a year of illegal drugs , mostly marijuana, enters the U.S. from 
Canada. According to Canadian government officials, Canada is the 
third-largest marijuana supplier to the U.S., after Mexico and Columbia. 
U.S.-Canada relations are already under strain due to a series of 
contentious trade disputes.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager