A decline in illegal drug use as reported by teens is largely due to the government's antidrug media campaign, which deserves support from skeptical lawmakers, the nation's drug czar said. "This has had an effect on discouraging drug use," John P. Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said of his agency's media campaign that started in 1998 to reduce drug use among young people. "They've been skeptical ... but now it's declining." Some on Capitol Hill have said that the campaign was ineffective. A government-funded study last year found that the ads were not having the desired effect. [continues 412 words]
Ruling Brings Canada Closer To U.S. Than Europe, Leader Of Pot Party Says MONTREAL and OTTAWA -- They had hoped the Supreme Court would help turn Canada into a slice of Amsterdam in North America. Instead, Canadian marijuana activists watched their hopes for legalization vanish yesterday after the Supreme Court ruling upholding laws against pot possession. "This brings Canada one step closer to the United States, while we had been on the way to being more like Europe," Marc-Boris St.-Maurice, leader of the federal Marijuana Party of Canada, said as he puffed on what he had hoped would be a legal joint at Montreal's new marijuana cafe. [continues 790 words]
A Supreme Court of Canada ruling against cannabis possession will do little to erode grassroots support for legalizing pot, say pro-marijuana advocates. The court ruled yesterday that Canadians have no free-standing right to use marijuana, upholding a federal law banning possession of small amounts of cannabis in a 6-3 ruling. "It's not the end of the debate, not by any means," said Eugene Oscapella, of the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy. "The whole issue about whether it's appropriate for Parliament to criminalize this is a different issue from the constitutionality of it." [continues 262 words]
Editor: Re: Dec. 15 Roast about Snoop Dogg First of all, you should have done your homework before attending the show, whether you were there to watch it or work it. I couldn't believe in the first place that Snoop Dogg was performing a concert in Lethbridge -- in the middle of the notorious "Bible Belt." This is what Snoop Dogg promotes himself to be: he smokes the occasional doobie, he likes it and doesn't care what others think. You should have known this before attending; then you wouldn't be so upset about it if you didn't go. I am not at all surprised a select number of youth in Lethbridge attending the show smoked weed at the concert as well. Again, this IS Snoop Dogg we're talking about. [continues 74 words]
Victoria -- The Hells Angels will be celebrating. The Supreme Court has just guaranteed their profits from marijuana and other drugs for the indefinite future (Pot Ban Is Constitutional, Supreme Court Rules -- on-line edition, Dec. 23). And cops will be happy. Their budgets will continue to be wasted on busting grow-ops instead of investigating real crimes such as burglaries and murders (both of which are encouraged by the drug laws). How can the Supreme Court condone the creation of crimes where no real crime (that is causing harm to others) exists? How can I have security of person when the court refuses to protect me from the do-gooding tyranny of others? [continues 59 words]
It's the day before Christmas and this is no joke, The Supreme Court says it's illegal to toke. They ruled by a margin of six against three, You still can't smoke grass and get off scot free. In 400 pages they told us quite clearly, That messing with pot will still cost you dearly. A poor Christmas gift for those who light up, But good in the war against drugs, say our cops. We tend to agree, since this is our view, Decriminalization was never thought through. What do you do with a driver who's stoned? Give him directions and send him on home? [continues 252 words]
TORONTO (AP) - Canada's supreme court upheld the country's laws against marijuana possession on Tuesday, even as Prime Minister Paul Martin presses to eliminate jail sentences for people caught with small amounts of the drug. In a 6-3 decision, the justices ruled that possession of marijuana would remain a criminal offense. In a separate, unanimous decision, it maintained trafficking of the drug was illegal. The ruling does not preclude Martin from going ahead with a proposed bill that would soften penalties. President Bush has expressed concerns that the bill could encourage drug smuggling. [continues 96 words]
Palm Beach County prosecutors can have access to Rush Limbaugh's seized medical records to determine whether he violated state prescription laws, a judge ruled Tuesday, in an investigation the conservative commentator promptly called political payback on his national radio show. Limbaugh's attorney, Roy Black, immediately moved to block the review of the records, but the judge's order opened a window of time in which prosecutors can go through the documents. It was not immediately clear Tuesday whether they took advantage of that. [continues 820 words]
RUTHERFORD COLLEGE -- Lauren Wallrichs pledged Friday morning to never use drugs. And while reading an essay she wrote about the dangers of drugs, Wallrichs stood in front of the crowded pews of Abernethy Memorial United Methodist Church and said, "I pledge now to never take drugs no matter what kind of peer pressure I may have." Wallrichs made her public address at her school's fifth-grade D.A.R.E graduation. On Friday morning, students from two fifth-grade classes at Rutherford College Elementary School were honored by their parents, teachers, fellow students and law enforcement for their participation and graduation from the drug awareness program. [continues 306 words]
Pitt County's citizens who live in the 1st Congressional District will begin a new year with a shadow of doubt over their representation in Washington. A federal grand jury is considering testimony from an FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office investigation into a now defunct drug and alcohol counseling program funded by state money and begun by U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance, a Democrat from Warrenton. In October, a state audit identified $325,000 in questionable expenses by the John A. Hyman Foundation and found the organization riddled with conflicts of interest. [continues 255 words]
The Prime Minister Will Go Ahead With A Bill To Decriminalize Possession Of Small Amounts. OTTAWA -- There is no free-standing right to get stoned, Canada's top court ruled yesterday. Tokers hoping for relaxed marijuana laws instead got a lump of coal as the Supreme Court of Canada upheld 6-3 a federal law banning possession of small amounts of pot. "I'm bummed out, man," said David Malmo-Levine, a self-styled pot freedom crusader in Vancouver. "It's a bit of a kick in the . . ." [continues 357 words]
High Court: Changes To Laws Left To Parliament OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada refused to elevate marijuana smoking to a constitutional right yesterday in a ruling that allows Parliament to criminalize any behaviour it sees fit to protect people from harm. "There is no free-standing constitutional right to smoke 'pot' for recreational purposes," justices Ian Binnie and recently retired Charles Gonthier wrote in the 6-3 decision. The majority, in upholding the current law, rejected the arguments advanced by three B.C. marijuana enthusiasts, who claimed it breaches the Charter of Rights to threaten someone with a criminal record for what they contend is a victimless crime. [continues 603 words]
