Pubdate: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2003, BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Address: 777B Poplar St. Naniamo, B.C. V9S 2H7 Fax: (250) 753-0788 Author: Darrell Bellaart Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) MIXED REACTION TO NEW POT LAW Nanaimo MPs continue to oppose decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana, even as police say they support reforming Canada's cannabis laws. New federal legislation tabled by the federal government last week will bolster police efforts to fight criminally-controlled marijuana grow ops, says Const. Jack Eubank, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. "There's a lot of positive steps being taken lately with this new legislation =AD a lot of it will help with fighting organized crime," Eubank says. "Sentences will be tougher for large-scale production of marijuana, and in our view that's a positive step forward." Nanaimo RCMP formed a special "green team" just to deal with marijuana growing operations popping up in recent years. Police hope doubling maximum jail sentences to 15 years will deter growers, who support outlaw motorcycle gangs, and other criminal elements that trade the drugs for cash, cocaine and guns. "But ultimately the new legislation has to be interpreted by a judge, and it's going to be a slow process," Eubank says. Nanaimo-Cowichan Alliance MP Reed Elley echoes his party's reservations about the bill. Under the new legislation, police will issue voluntary payment fines, like parking tickets, worth up to $150 =AD $100 for youths =AD caught with less than 15 grams of pot. "We think it's thrown open the door to even greater use of marijuana in Canada," Elley says. Nanaimo-Alberni MP James Lunney says it's a double standard. "We're spending half a billion dollars to stop people from smoking cigarettes, now they're prepared to spend another quarter billion to convince people of the evils of marijuana, while they're loosening up deterrence to make it more available," Lunney says. "It's a study in contradictions." But Mark Russell, operator of the Parksville branch of the Cannabis Buyers Club of Canada, wants government regulation and distribution of the drug, like liquor or tobacco. The organization provides pot for cancer patients and others with medical exemptions to criminal anti-marijuana laws. "It won't work. If you want to get rid of the crime, work for some form of regulated distribution," Russell says. "The only thing prohibition does is drive the product underground and up the price." - --- MAP posted-by: Josh