Pubdate: Fri, 10 Oct 2014
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Joan Bryden
Page: A7
Cited: CAMH Cannabis Policy Framework: http://mapinc.org/url/sCod1dXx

CONSERVATIVES HOLD HARD LINE ON MARIJUANA LAWS

OTTAWA - The federal government's resolve to enforce the law against
marijuana use is unshaken by a call to legalize pot from the country's
largest mental health and addiction treatment centre.

Justice Minister Peter MacKay said Thursday the government has no
intention of heeding the call of the Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health.

The government remains committed to going in the opposition direction, 
said MacKay: finding ways to actually increase enforcement of marijuana 
laws, including potentially making it a ticketing offence to possess 
small quantities of dope.

But Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who has been championing
legalization for more than a year, said CAMH's endorsement of the idea
shows he's on the right track while the Tories are ideologically bound
to a war on drugs that has proven a total failure.

NDP health critic Libby Davies, whose party supports decriminalization
of marijuana, said the Conservatives are becoming increasingly
isolated on the issue as more and more public health groups refuse to
back their tough-on-pot message.

In a policy statement released Thursday, CAMH said cannabis should be
legalized and strictly regulated, sold through a government-controlled
monopoly with limited availability and an age limit. The centre
concluded that the current legal prohibition on pot has failed to
prevent use or reduce the harm it can cause.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt