cannabisnews.com: Senate Committee Recommends Legalizing Pot Senate Committee Recommends Legalizing Pot Posted by CN Staff on September 04, 2002 at 12:55:36 PT By CTV News Staff Source: CTV Canada should legalize marijuana use and offer amnesty for those convicted of pot possession, a Senate committee recommended Wednesday. The committee would like to see Ottawa regulate cannabis and allow for its sale in much the same way that beer and wine are sold."Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue," Senator Pierre Nolin, the committee chair, told a news conference Wednesday morning. Nolin said using marijuana should be a "personal choice" that does not lead to criminal conviction. Some 600,000 Canadians have been convicted of simple possession and the committee says their records should be wiped clean.Police surprised by recommendationSergeant Grant Learned, the B.C. RCMP's media spokesman, says Mounties are surprised by the committee's recommendation. He says there is still plenty of debate about the negative effects of the drug. And he adds that police believe the distribution of marijuana is used to foster other criminal activities.A group representing Canadian municipal police groups denounced the idea of legalizing of marijuana earlier this year, and urged the federal government to create a national drug strategy."Sending a message to our young people that marijuana is not harmful, or can be used safely, when there is scientific evidence to the contrary, is not responsible," David Griffin, the executive officer of the Canadian Police Association, told a news conference. He cited studies indicating that marijuana is more harmful than alcohol to human health.Griffin called for a meeting to develop a national strategy on the marijuana issue, before any laws are changed.Senator Colin Kenny, co-chairman of the special committee on illegal drugs, admits that studies from other countries suggest marijuana use would rise if the drug were made legal. But he adds that such a rise would be short-lived.Kenny predicts legalization would ultimately result in less recreational use of marijuana.Dr. Henry Haddad, former president of the Canadian Medical Association, discussed the issue with Lisa LaFlamme on Canada AM. He said that if marijuana is legalized, the move should be accompanied by a national drug strategy.Haddad testified at the Senate hearings in favour of decriminalizing marijuana. Haddad told LaFlamme that marijuana is a health issue and not a criminal one. He said the Canadian system needs to switch its focus to prevention and treatment. And he said the literature has shown that decriminalizing marijuana does not lead to increased use or harder drugs. But he cautioned that decriminalizing should only be done gradually and if accompanied by a national strategy aimed at preventing people from smoking the drug. Haddad said that six to seven per cent of the population smokes marijuana, while 10 per cent of that group could be considered addicted. Earlier this summer, Justice Minister Martin Cauchon told the Canadian Bar Association that he was not interested in legalizing marijuana. Cauchon hinted at the group's annual meeting that he may investigating whether to relax the country's marijuana laws, but he made it clear that he was talking about decriminalizing pot -- not making it legal.Cauchon said he would consult widely with Canadians and law enforcement agencies before making a decision."I believe it's time for an open discussion about modernizing the criminal justice system in this regard," he said.Medicinal pot laws need revisingAt Wednesday's news conference, the Senate committee also said the country's laws for medicinal marijuana need to be revised.Last year, the federal government stipulated that a person wanting to use medical marijuana to relieve pain and stimulate appetite must supply declarations from as many as two medical specialists. The only exception involves terminally ill patients expected to die within a year.Health Minister Anne McLellan has said she won't consider releasing any of the government marijuana being grown in an old mine in Flin Flon, Man., until clinical trials have been completed."I take very seriously the fact that we're called the Department of Health," McLellan said last month.Overall, she said more clarification was needed before Ottawa goes ahead with a controversial plan to distribute medicinal pot.Newshawk: Richard S.Source: CTV (Canada)Published: September 4, 2002Copyright: 2002 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. Website: http://www.ctv.ca/Contact: newsonline ctv.ca Related Articles:Canada Panel Wants Legal Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13983.shtmlSenate Calls for Legalization of Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13982.shtmlLegalize Pot, Senate Committee Says http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13979.shtmlSenate Committee Recommends Legal Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13978.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by FoM on September 04, 2002 at 17:50:33 PT freedom fighter He doesn't have a Internet capable computer at home and they put a filter on his work computer and subjects like out topic aren't accessible. I've been emailing him and telling him everything that is happening today with Canada. He misses not being able to read all the comments by everyone. He has a computer at home and he said he will see if it might be able to be good enough to get on line. I told him to let me know. I have a computer that needs a little work that I told him I would give him that would have more power then the one he has now. I'll tell him you asked about him. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by freedom fighter on September 04, 2002 at 17:43:50 PT Naaps? filter? What's up with Naaps?? I always enjoy readin his postings...Anyway, I pray this report will make a postive impact for the World!ff [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by BGreen on September 04, 2002 at 13:18:17 PT Relax TroutMask We're talking about Canada.I'm so sick of the LEO liars in Nevada:Us: We want to legalize up to 3 ounces for adults over 21.Liars: We don't want 11-year-olds smoking pot. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 04, 2002 at 13:16:03 PT TroutMask You're right. I don't understand why they worry about side effects for our health. Living everyday in this modern world is down right dangerous but no one seems to worry about pollution etc.I feel so bad for Naaps. He can't join us here anymore. They put a filter on his computer and he emailed me this article but can't read C News now. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by TroutMask on September 04, 2002 at 13:10:13 PT This is what I was afraid of. "Sergeant Grant Learned, the B.C. RCMP's media spokesman, says Mounties are surprised by the committee's recommendation. He says there is still plenty of debate about the negative effects of the drug."No kidding, Sherlock! Did you read the report!?!?!? Did the report say "no bad effects"? How about we compare and contrast the "bad effects" with the effects of a criminal record and/or jail time and/or all the other garbage that comes from prohibition? What do you recommend: More of the same or worse?"And he adds that police believe the distribution of marijuana is used to foster other criminal activities."If distribution of marijuana were legal and regulated, this would no longer be a worry! How many alcohol and cigarette dealers do you know with ties to "other criminal activities"??? Sometimes the pure, blind ignorance of these prohibitionists astounds even me.-TM [ Post Comment ] Post Comment