Pubdate: Sat, 15 Mar 2014
Source: Guardian, The (CN PI)
Copyright: 2014 The Guardian, Charlottetown Guardian Group Incorporated
Contact:  http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/174
Author: Wayne Young
Page: A11

FINE, DECRIMINALIZE OR LEGALIZE; MARIJUANA DEBATE SPARKS UP

Ever since Liberal leader Justin Trudeau told students - and the
national media - in Charlottetown he supports its legalization,
marijuana has been dominating news headlines here.

In an interview with Huffington Post a few months later, Trudeau said
he smoked marijuana several times, most recently three years ago after
he was elected to the House of Commons.

Then everyone wanted to know what other MPs might have sampled the
mood- altering drug that's currently illegal to use in Canada - other
than for medicinal purposes.

The Island's lone Conservative MP, Fisheries Minister Gail Shea, said
she's never tried it and she chastised the Liberals for even
considering its legalization. Among Island Liberal MPs, Lawrence
MacAulay said he's never tried it, but Wayne Easter and Sean Casey
both said they took a puff years ago - long before they were elected
to public office. All three Island Liberal MPs are on record as
supporting legalization.

In Charlottetown, and in numerous appearances since then, Trudeau made
it clear he's not advocating marijuana use for young people. Quite the
opposite, in fact. He says legalization would take marijuana profits
away from criminal organizations and allow government to tax and
regulate the drug. It would actually be easier to keep it away from
children who would need an ID to purchase it, much the same as
alcohol, he said. Like it or not, change is coming. Recent federation
legislation meant large indoor medical marijuana farms would be
allowed to produce, package and distribute marijuana to be sold at
whatever price the market would bear. Those who use marijuana for
medical purposes will not longer be able to grow it themselves or to
buy it from a grower designated by Health Canada. Now marijuana will
only be available from commercially regulated growers.

That's where Charlottetown city council picked up the marijuana baton
and changed its bylaws to pave the way to the province's first medical
marijuana production facility.

This week, the unnamed developer finally stepped into the public
spotlight. Edwin Jewell told The Guardian he hopes to break ground on
a medical marijuana production operation later this spring, pending
clearance and licensing from Health Canada. It will be built in the
BioCommons Research Park.

But not everyone is happy. At least one woman who uses medical
marijuana to treat Crohn's Disease went public with her fears that the
price will skyrocket and she may not be able to afford it.

A few days ago, Justice Minister Peter MacKay weighed in. He's been
one of Trudeau's fiercest critics for his stand on legalizing
marijuana, but now he seems ready to soften up the rules around
marijuana possession - perhaps allowing police officers to issue
tickets to people caught with small amounts of marijuana rather than
laying charges. That's quite a concession from a minister and a
government known for aggressively beefing up drug-related penalties,
most famously a mandatory six-month term for growing as few as six
marijuana plants. This issue isn't going away any time soon. The
Toronto Star is reporting that some grassroots New Democrats will push
to have the party endorse legalization of marijuana at a policy
convention this weekend. Six riding associations, including one in
Malpeque, P. E. I., want the party's policy book to be amended to
reflect the change, The Star reported.

With the Conservatives' stand on marijuana possibly softening, the
Liberals favouring legalization and NDP favouring at least
decriminalization, it's sure to pop up as an issue in the federal
election campaign next year.

Some polls suggest there's good reason why the political ice against
marijuana use may be melting. A Forum Research Inc. poll released late
last summer suggested that more than two thirds of Canadians support
either decriminalization ( 34 per cent) or legalization ( 36 per cent)
of marijuana. Only 15 per cent want the law left as is.

It's hard to argue that the current laws are keeping marijuana away
from young people. A study released by Unicef last year suggested that
teenagers in Canada use cannabis more than any other developed
country. The study showed that 28 per cent of 15- years-olds admitted
to having used cannabis in the past year. Would that number improve if
the product were to be legalized and regulated? Is it time marijuana -
like alcohol - is declared legal so willing adults in a regulated
setting can use it?

The Conservatives are already signalling a willingness to revisit the
issue and with the NDP and Liberals on record as supporting even more
far-reaching measures, change is assuredly on the
way.

An increasing number of Canadians would say it's about time.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt