cannabisnews.com: No Rush To Decriminalize Pot No Rush To Decriminalize Pot Posted by CN Staff on October 07, 2002 at 07:31:07 PT By Shane Holladay -- Staff Writer Source: Edmonton Sun The Chretien government's delay for a special Commons committee report before rolling out pot decriminalization legislation is just a smokescreen, says a drug policy analyst. "Some politicians were having cold feet about confronting the issue of legalization boldly," said Eugene Oscapella, a founding member of the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy, and an Ottawa lawyer serving on the Law Reform Commission of Canada. Last week's throne speech promised changes to Canada's drug laws, including the possibility of decriminalizing marijuana possession. But House leader Don Boudria said the Liberals will wait for the November release of a Commons special committee report on the non-medical use of illegal drugs. Given the exhaustive study on cannabis use that the Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs recently completed, there's really no need for more data from the Commons committee, said Oscapella. "The Senate committee did, by far, the most thorough job when it comes to studying the use and effects of cannabis," Oscapella said. The only thing the Commons report will do is offer some kind of compromise or political middle-ground for federal Liberals leery of legalizing pot, he said. "We seem to be afraid of letting go of the criminal justice method of eliminating drug abuse. And, if anything, the criminal justice system has been an unmitigated failure." Federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon deemed it important to wait for the Commons report to have every bit of information available, said a department spokesman. "The minister has said he wants to look at the possibility of decriminalization," said Patrick Charette. Decriminalization legislation will likely be considered early next year, Charette said, but added "there's no plan to legalize marijuana at this time." Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB) Author: Shane Holladay -- Staff WriterPublished: Monday, October 7, 2002 Copyright: 2002 Canoe Limited PartnershipContact: letters edm.sunpub.com Website: http://www.fyiedmonton.com/htdocs/edmsun.shtmlRelated Articles & Web Site:CFDPhttp://www.cfdp.ca/Canadians Suggest Legalizing Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14333.shtmlU.S. Warns Against Liberalizing Laws on Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14331.shtmlSenate Report on Cannabis: Get Whole Story http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14319.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by WolfgangWylde on October 07, 2002 at 08:27:43 PT I suspect... ...that the Senate report, and the soon to be issued Commons report, will be rwo more in a long line of marijuana policy recommendations to be soundly ignored. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo MD on October 07, 2002 at 07:40:39 PT: Eugene Eugene Oscapella is a shining example of someone who has no personal ax to grind in reform of cannabis laws, but has shown the great courage to favor a position of reform. If we had more brave and honest people like him on this side of the border, the chances for constructive change would be greatly enhanced. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment