Pubdate: Fri, 30 May 2003
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyiedmonton.com/htdocs/edmsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Jonathan Colford
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor, headline by newshawk

THE GOAL IS CURBING CONSUMPTION

LET ME get this straight. The federal Liberals are going to replace jail 
with fines for having 15 grams or less of marijuana. And they're going to 
spend $240 million on a program to get kids to stop smoking it. Unless 
they're going to crack down like meter maids and issue fines left and right 
to pay for this, I smell another Liberal boondoggle here. In some twisted 
way I think this could actually reduce consumption. If the police aren't 
arresting kids because no one feels getting caught smoking a joint is worth 
a criminal record, then the cops will probably start handing out the fines 
and anyone who walks around with 15 joints can afford the $100 (or their 
father can). So long as we still say that doing drugs is wrong and against 
the law, I'm fine with the fines. The goal is curbing consumption, and if 
the fines can do that, whereas jail has failed, then great. If the cops 
aren't giving out tickets, then the new law will be another Liberal waste 
of money and time.

Jonathan Colford

(We think the new law won't work.)
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens