Pubdate: Thu, 01 Mar 2012
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2012 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: 
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Jordan Press
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/topic/Global+Commission+on+Drug+Policy

BILLIONAIRE URGES TORIES TO LEGALIZE POT

Global Commission on Drug Policy argues new crime bill's stiffer 
penalties not the answer

An international group of thinkers, business people and former 
politicians are urging the federal government to change its omnibus 
crime bill, arguing stiffer sentences for "minor" marijuana crimes 
won't make Canada safer.

The Global Commission on Drug Policy, which includes former head of 
the United Nations Kofi Annan and billionaire Sir Richard Branson, 
signed an open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and senators 
urging them to amend the crime bill and instead of penalties, make pot legal.

In its letter, released Wednesday, the group asked the government to 
consider taxing and regulating marijuana "as an alternative strategy 
to undermine organized crime and improve community health and safety."

"Adopting the mandatory sentencing for minor cannabis offences would 
send Canada down a tragic path, likely costing your taxpayers 
billions and doing nothing to tackle drug violence or drug 
dependency," Branson said in a news release. "Canada should explore 
policies that treat drugs as a health issue, not a criminal issue."

The government indicated Wednesday it had no plans to amend the bill, 
or talk with Branson and the commission about Canada's drug laws.

"The Safe Streets and Communities Act goes after the source of the 
illicit drug trade - the drug traffickers. The kinds of offenders we 
are targeting are those who are involved in exploiting the addictions 
of others for personal profit," said Julie Di Mambro, a spokeswoman 
for Justice Minister Rob Nicholson. The letter comes as the Senate is 
set to approve Bill C-10, known as the Safe Streets and Communities 
Act, by the end of the week. The Conservatives used their majority in 
the Senate on Wednesday to limit the amount of debate on C-10 to six hours.

"This could lead to a vote (Thursday) or on Friday, depending on how 
the debate proceeds," said Sen. Marjory Lebreton, the government 
leader in the Senate.

Once the Senate approves the bill, it would return to the House of 
Commons for approval.

The omnibus crime bill has come under scrutiny for some of the 
mandatory minimums that it would impose for certain drug crimes.

The one that receives the most attention, and which Liberal senators 
unsuccessfully tried to amend during a Senate committee meeting 
Monday, was making it illegal to grow as few as six marijuana plants.

The global commission has issued reports that suggest tougher drug 
crimes do little to decrease the availability of marijuana or 
drug-related crime, with the United States and Mexico rejecting the 
group's findings in the past.

The illegality of marijuana hasn't reduced its availability, a 
commission official said.

Commission co-ordinator Ilona Szabo de Carvalho said Canada could 
look to the experience of places such as Europe where drugs have been 
legalized and drug crime has dropped, citing the Vancouver supervised 
injection site Insite as the direction Canadian policy should take.

"This is a very hot topic, a very sensitive topic related to emotions 
(and) fears," she said in an interview from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom