Pubdate: Tue, 26 Apr 2016 Source: Lethbridge Herald (CN AB) Copyright: 2016 The Lethbridge Herald Contact: http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/239 Page: A6 WHAT WILL NEW POT LAWS LOOK LIKE? The history of our Crowsnest Pass communities is replete with stories of Prohibition adventures and misadventures. One event even inspired an opera! Today, those stories offer more than entertainment, or a hit of nostalgia. They're also somewhat instructive, as Canadians look to the end of another form of prohibition. Last fall, Justin Trudeau and the federal Liberals declared if they were elected, they would end the nation's longstanding prohibition on "simple possession" of marijuana by Canadian adults. We know how Canadians responded to that and the many other Liberal campaign pledges. Now we also know when that change is expected to take place. New legislation will be introduced a year from now, government officials say - once the laws and regulations are thoroughly considered. Part of those considerations, no doubt, will be a draft "discussion paper" on the regulations involved in putting the new laws in place. That paper - obtained by The Canadian Press news agency under an "Access to Information" request - raises a few cautionary flags. It asks how the government will keep organized crime out of the legalized retail system. It's deeply involved in the distribution and sale of illicit drugs of all kinds, after all, and won't appreciate the competition. A legitimate question, obviously. One our government experts now have at best one year to answer. If we were old enough, we might remember how it worked the last time with our governments. Bootleggers, backwoods distillers and many others were involved in the illegal distribution and sales of alcohol during this nation's experiment with banning the ages-old substance - clearly part of life back in biblical times. But our provincial and federal jurisdictions evidently succeeded in setting up and administering rules and regulations surrounding the sale of intoxicating beverages. Though the regulations may vary from one province to another, most Canadians know and follow the laws - and pay heavily if they're convicted on drinking and driving charges. And if organized crime has a piece of the action, it's not very evident. In Alberta, with a liquor store on almost every corner, bootleggers and any other lawbreakers probably can't match their convenience and prices. When alcohol became legal once again, government agencies protected everyday Canadians from the dangers of "moonshine" and other untested liquids. Now, a system of regulation should ensure buyers know what kind of marijuana they're buying, how potent it is - and that it's not laced with something that's truly dangerous. As a side benefit, licensing and regulating retailers will allow medical or recreational users to avoid contact with today's street-level dealers and their untested, uncontrolled drugs. We're still at the discussion stage whether liquor stores, pharmacy dispensaries or some other retailers would be best to provide strength- and quality-assured marijuana within the law. No doubt that debate may dominate discussion over months to come. Perhaps legislators should consider putting tobacco sales under the same administrative control. Teens under the "drinking age" of 18 or 19 obviously have no difficulty getting their smokes under the existing system. The year may also give Canadians time to learn what lessons there are from American states which have already cancelled this form of prohibition. How well are their new regulations working? While not many of us are old enough to remember the real "rum-runner days" in the Pass, many may recall the restrictions once enforced here which actually encouraged illegal sales. Rules like 6 p.m. closing time for liquor stores, no Sunday sales, and keeping it illegal for hotels to offer anything more than beer for "off-sale." Now Canadians should have an opportunity to suggest what rules and regulations would make sense in today's world. If there's a green light for "grass," what limits are reasonable? While undoubtedly the government will be working with experts in the field, we hope there will be time for everyday Canadians to help shape these new laws. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt