Pubdate: Tue, 11 Mar 2014
Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014, BC Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948
Author: Melissa Fryer

CANADA PLAYS FOLLOW THE LEADER ON POT LAWS

It seems as though marijuana isn't as bad as everyone thought.

Last week the federal Minister of Justice Peter MacKay floated the
idea of allowing police to give tickets to people in possession of
marijuana rather than haul them through the criminal justice system.
He told the Ottawa press gallery that he directed his ministry to look
at the issue and possibly draft legislation because the prime minister
was open to the idea.

This could be the turning point in federal policy on
marijuana.

Not long ago this same Conservative government was keen to force
harsher sentences on pot producers, with mandatory six-month jail
terms for people growing as few as six plants. That it's now
considering ticketing as primary enforcement on marijuana laws is a
significant about face.

Don't misunderstand the federal government's intention - it doesn't
want to decriminalize or legalize marijuana possession, at least not
at this point. Speeding is illegal, but you won't go to jail for doing
95 in an 80 km/h zone.

Much of the kinder, gentler view on pot might come from how people's
views on marijuana have changed in the last five years.

When medical marijuana was allowed, the government tried to keep total
control of the product. But the expense was high and the quality low,
and most users went to small, local suppliers.

Those local suppliers were legitimized with licences to grow small
amounts. Then Health Canada changed the rules again, eliminating small
grow-op licences in favour of big ones, contracting pot growing to
companies like Tilray, which is about to open up shop at Duke Point
once the new regulations come into effect April 1. Effectively, pot
production is being treated like other pharmaceuticals.

All of this has happened without much protest from the public, and
considerably more enthusiasm and excitement. Tilray estimates it will
hire between 40-60 people to work at the operation at Duke Point. More
than 400 people contacted the company as part of a job fair a couple
of weeks ago, with more resumes still trickling in.

Is marijuana simply not a big deal anymore? And did the Tories realize
this when the (Justin) Trudeau Liberals' polling numbers didn't tank
after the leader suggested legalizing earlier this year?

Perhaps it was the marijuana-legalization movement in the U.S., which
the Conservative government often looks to for shaping public policy
in Canada. In 2012, two U.S. states legalized pot - Colorado and our
neighbour Washington state.

Last week Washington issued its first processor-possession licence to
a business owner who is a veteran at growing medical marijuana. He
promised to bring jobs back to eastern Washington with a 21,000-square
foot facility. Sounds familiar.

Colorado's governor presented a report to the state government that
predicted tax revenues of $133 million in the next fiscal year,
according to the Denver Post.

The bulk of the revenue is recommended to be earmarked for marijuana
prevention and education among youth.

A small part of that budget is also set for enforcement. But police
are saying it's not enough to help keep up with the resources already
spent on legalizing marijuana. Like cigarettes and liquor, marijuana
must be regulated to guard against abuse, impairment while driving and
other social ills that might follow in legalization's wake.

Research into marijuana's potential as medicine is fascinating and
compelling. Perhaps easing of federal drug laws will help spur further
research on its potential uses.
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MAP posted-by: Matt