Pubdate: Wed, 30 Dec 2015
Source: Prince Albert Daily Herald (CN SN)
Copyright: 2015 Prince Albert Daily Herald
Contact:  http://www.paherald.sk.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1918
Page: 4

THE POT SMOKERS ARE GETTING RESTLESS

Marijuana users seem to be getting restless for the new legal regime 
promised by the Liberal party during the federal election.

A restless urge to strike down the old prohibitions has been 
noticeable across Canada.

There wasn't a whiff of news about when the air might clear, however, 
until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Vancouver recently, the 
most pot friendly city in Canada.

Mr. Trudeau confirmed he is still committed to legalization, but it 
won't come soon, so don't light that joint in public just yet.

The good news for marijuana users is the government isn't looking at 
a cash grab. It wants to keep the price of pot at a reasonable level 
to discourage underground sales, as happened with cigarettes in some 
parts of Canada.

The prime minister also said while the government might take "a bit 
of revenue," he wanted most of the money used for addictions 
treatment, mental-health support and education programs.

We'll have to wait to find out what "a bit of revenue" looks like, 
particularly since it is unclear how much tax might be applied by the 
provinces and municipalities.

Mr. Trudeau said he wants to conduct broad consultations with the 
other levels of government and experts in public health to design a 
proper sales and distribution system.

It's more complicated than it sounds. Some provinces, including 
Manitoba, want to sellmarijuana in their liquor outlets, but should 
private vendors be allowed into the game, too?

There are also questions about who will grow the product and whether 
individuals can grow their own. If you can make your own beer and 
wine, why not marijuana, too?

And as a recent case in Winnipeg showed, police will need new tools 
and training to detect people who are driving under the influence of pot.

A man charged with driving while impaired from the drug was acquitted 
after the judge ruled the officer's opinion, based on a roadside 
sobriety test, was not valid.

Mr. Trudeau has promised to get tough with people who smoke and 
drive, but there will need to be better scientific testing than is 
accepted by the courts now.

People who provide pot to minors will also be in for a rough ride, 
but why should the penalty be any greater than that faced by adults 
who buy alcohol for teens?

The old regime left millions of Canadians with criminal records, but 
the government hasn't said if it will grant amnesty, which some 
advocacy groups are demanding.

The government will also have to consider if there is any need for a 
medical-marijuanaprogram, since people will be able to buy what they 
need off the counter.

The various strengths of marijuana to be sold will also have to be 
discussed. Too weak, and the public won't buy it. Too strong, and 
some people might take an unhappy trip.

In other words, with all the issues to be worked out, it could be 
many years before weed is legalized.

Police and the courts will have to consider whether to prosecute 
anyone in the interim, except those involved in organized crime who 
are making millions of dollars off the illegal trade of the drug.

Legalization is the right course, but the federal government may want 
to limit its role to broad oversight, leaving the details to the 
provinces, which are better positioned to appreciate local conditions 
and sensibilities.

The government should light a fire under the consultation process, 
however, because a lot of Canadians seem as if they aren't prepared 
to wait forever.

- - Winnipeg Free Press
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom