Pubdate: Sat, 05 Mar 2005 Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 2005 Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329 Author: Stephanie Rubec Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) YOUTH DEFEND LEGALIZED POT Resolution Faces Growing Opposition After Mounties' Slaying THE influential youth wing of the federal Liberal Party defended its push for the legalization of marijuana yesterday, arguing against claims it'll put police in more danger. The Alberta-born resolution, to be voted on today at the Liberal policy convention in Ottawa, is facing a growing tide of protest from opponents, who are urging the Grit youth contingent to pull its support in light of Thursday's slaying of four Mounties at a marijuana grow op north of Edmonton. Young Liberal president Richard Diamond called on delegates to rein in their emotions during today's debate on the resolution, which calls for the feds to legalize marijuana. "The debate is going to have to be very respectful, considering the circumstances," Diamond said, referring to the Mounties' deaths. "The recent events are going to have to be taken into consideration. I see that the discussion is going to hopefully lead to a solution." The resolution calls on the feds to take charge of selling pot and slap "large taxes" on weed sales. It also stipulates that tax revenue be used to educate young Canadians against using drugs and to pay for addiction treatment. 'Serious Regulation' "What we need to keep in mind is that prohibition didn't work for alcohol and it's not working for marijuana," Diamond said. "We need serious regulation on marijuana so that this kind of violence and this kind of black market ... will cease." Bryan West, a young Liberal vice-president from Alberta, insisted legalizing pot would put an end to violence linked to drugs, noting it would allow the feds to gain control of the quality and flow of marijuana. "We're trying to prevent the proliferation of this drug that is extremely common and extremely easy to use," West said. "You would take it out of the hands of drug dealers and put it in the hands of government." But Liberal MP Dan McTeague warned that a show of support for legalizing marijuana would send the wrong message. McTeague called for delegates to lend their support to another resolution, from B.C., that advocates a minimum sentence of more than two years for grow operators. "Given the social concern and now the real political concern over the death of these police officers ... I think we have to stay focused on marijuana grow operations," McTeague said. "Those who are making the argument for legalization have absolutely no understanding of the potency of the product they're advocating, let alone who's manufacturing it." Calgary delegate Brian Edy said legalizing pot is treading on dangerous ground, but suspects the resolution will pass, given the large size of the youth delegation attending the convention. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth