Conditional sentence for pot grow-op

A so-called Freeman on the Land will not have to plant his roots in jail following a conviction for running a marijuana grow operation.

Scott Peters was given a 13-month conditional sentence Thursday that allows him to remain free in the community. He was placed on daily house arrest and must perform 100 hours of community-service work.

The Crown was seeking up to six months behind bars for Peters, who was convicted by a jury last month following a bizarre, three-day trial.

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A so-called "freeman" who claimed justice officials had no right to prosecute him for running a marijuana grow operation in his basement has been sentenced to 13 months house arrest.

Scott David Peters, 45, argued he is not bound by Canadian law, but by a natural law "to do no harm."

"There is a big difference between a person thinking that a particular law is wrong and a person who actually disregards that law," Justice Robert Dewar told Peters.

"This sentence is intended to reinforce the notion that a person is not entitled to pick and choose which laws to obey - they must all be obeyed," Dewar said. "Consider this sentence an encouragement to start acting like a responsible citizen and govern yourself accordingly."

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The strip search of a Quebec teen at her school for drugs, by school staff, is an unjustified breach of her privacy and assault on her dignity. If school officials can defend such a move to root out a bit of marijuana, searches of body cavities can't be far behind.

School boards in Manitoba and elsewhere in Canada ought to take this example of abuse of authority as a lesson in the perils of unchecked arrogance. The stripping of the teen was initially defended by Quebec's government, but now it appears it, too, has recognized the offensive nature of the search.

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A judge has reserved sentencing in a marijuana grow-op case involving a Winnipeg man who used his time in court Wednesday to admonish the government and reject the usage of his own name.

Scott David Peters, who was convicted by a jury last month for operating an illegal marijuana operation out of a residence on Boyd Avenue, will now learn his fate from Judge Robert Dewar on Feb. 26.

Peters, who is representing himself, was in court Wednesday and spoke of Hilary Clinton, ISIS and slavery while holding a white flag he said represented not surrender, but an indication he comes in peace.

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I would like to thank David Asper for coming out of the cannabis closet and advocating for a regulated market (Time to regulate marijuana, Jan. 24).

The time for that action was 30 years ago; it is now long past due that we repeal the entire war on drugs. It is prohibition that brings the harm to society.

Chris Buors Winnipeg

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OTTAWA - Non-violent drug addicts who break the law will again have the option of rehab instead of jail time as federal funding revives the Winnipeg Drug Treatment Court.

Ottawa finally committed to renewing funding for the court, offering $1.2 million over the next three years, the provincial government confirmed Friday. The court stopped accepting new clients last spring because Ottawa had not agreed to extend the funding beyond the end of March.

"This successful program addresses the root cause of criminal behaviour to give participants the supports and strategies they need to live a productive and positive lifestyle," Manitoba Justice Minister James Allum said in a news release.

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BEING in Arizona on a university campus and immersed in U.S. culture is fascinating generally, and especially so with regard to the debate about legalization and regulation of recreational use marijuana. I am currently teaching part time at Arizona State University as we develop a North American law degree program.

What's really interesting in the Arizona and American news generally is seeing both the language patterns that are being used in the narrative as well as the legislative and political machinations around the issue of marijuana use.

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Re: "Gunning for solutions," Jan. 2.

The drug trade is perpetuating this violence and cruelty that is simply mind-boggling and unprecedented. The futile war on drugs simply cannot be won. Why we continue to defy and ignore more than 100 years of failed prohibition is simply mind-boggling, counter-productive, and irresponsible. Prohibition, as history shows, whether it be for alcohol or illegal drugs fuels violent crime, including the lucrative gun trade. It's easily argued with certainty that law enforcement, in and by itself, simply does not, nor has ever reduced or dried up the supply of illegal drugs. Illicit drugs have been with us forever and will be with us long into the future. The so-called war on drugs, at an outrageous economic, social and human cost in this country and the world over, will simply not stop the demand for and use of illegal drugs. Often overlooked is the fact that the lucrative drug trade distorts economic realities in countries the world over. It is easily argued that the financial benefits of legalizing illicit drugs are huge. It is now, as experts argue, time to retreat on the war on drugs. Ending it is the moral and politically correct thing to do. I agree that with defence lawyer Michael Spratt's that "doubling down on failed solutions" does not and has never worked." What we need is a strategy that focuses on crime prevention through social development! Who is up to this challenge?

Emile Therien



Legalizing drugs isn't the answer.

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