cannabisnews.com: Going Out With a Bong 





Going Out With a Bong 
Posted by CN Staff on October 07, 2002 at 07:39:18 PT
By Anne McIlroy
Source: Guardian Unlimited UK
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien seems prepared to risk the ire of the United States and decriminalise the use of marijuana. Last week, the Liberal government laid out its agenda for this session of parliament and included plans to decriminalize cannabis. Mr Chrétien, who has announced he will retire in 2004, is sniffing the wind for a legacy. Decriminalising marijuana has the sweet smell of something Canadians might remember him for, so the normally cautious Mr Chrétien appears to be prepared to move ahead.
Not that he has ever smoked any himself. "When I was young the word marijuana did not exist. I didn't know. I learned about the world long after that. It was too late to try it, " Mr Chrétien, 67, recently told reporters. But his 39-year-old justice minister confesses to having inhaled. "Of course I tried it before. Obviously," said Martin Cauchon. He is keen to decriminalise marijuana, which would mean that people caught smoking the drug would get tickets instead of heavy jail sentences, punitive fines or a criminal record. The UK took a similar step earlier this year. But Britain isn't next door to the United States, where the government of President Bush continues to push an aggressive zero tolerance drug policy, for both itself and its neighbours. John Walters, the Bush administration's drug tsar, has publicly stated that if Canada decriminalises marijuana it could face serious disruptions to border trade, which is crucial to the Canadian economy. Other US politicians have warned of dire consequences if Canada becomes the pot patch of the north. Fear of angering the US is one reason why Mr Chrétien has left himself room to back away from decriminalising marijuana. He has said his government will look at decriminalising pot, but has stopped short of actually promising to do so. But momentum is clearly building. Last month a Canadian senate committee made headlines, recommending that anyone over the age of 16 be able to smoke marijuana freely. If it is ever implemented, the recommendation would mean joints would be legally available to teenagers long before a pint of beer. The report, which filled four volumes, was extensively researched. It also urged amnesty for the 600,000 Canadians convicted of possessing marijuana. The senate committee argued that the recreational use of pot is no more harmful that smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol, both legal vices that provide healthy annual tax revenues. There is no reason marijuana shouldn't be legal and sold at the local store, the committee said. Canada is also moving ahead with plans to allow the use of medical marijuana, for people undergoing chemotherapy or suffering from HIV/Aids. In November, a special committee of Canada's House of Commons is due to report on the non-medical use of drugs. If it recommends decriminalisation, it will give Mr Chrétien the green light to move ahead. There is no chance he will follow the advice of the senate committee and legalise marijuana, but decriminalisation looks increasingly like safe middle ground. Pot wouldn't be legal, but getting caught smoking it wouldn't mean a jail term and restricted job possibilities. Yes, the US government would be upset, but a retired Mr Chrétien won't be around to face the consequences. His heir apparent, former finance minister Paul Martin, would be in charge. He might not mind standing up to Mr Bush on the issue. His aides have let it be known that he ate a hash brownie when he was a much younger man.Note: In considering the decriminalisation of marijuana, Canada's outgoing prime minister may make a hash of US relations, writes Anne McIlroy.Source: Guardian Unlimited, The (UK)Author: Anne McIlroyPublished: Monday, October 7, 2002 Copyright: 2002 Guardian Newspapers LimitedContact: letters guardian.co.ukWebsite: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Related Articles & Web Site:Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmNo Rush To Decriminalize Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14368.shtmlU.S. Warns Against Liberalizing Laws on Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14331.shtmlChrétien Led 1981 Move To Reform Pot Lawshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14199.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by karkulus on October 07, 2002 at 13:20:32 PT
I'm glad news from the world is getting thru
 I've found a source of fairly regular updates on countries around the world status of canna-laws..also with 10-15 articles weekly of round the world events..the bad news is ..it's all in German..so ,here's the link thru the google translate(assuming most of us don't read german.if you do,of course just go to the page directly) until the "NORML INTERNATIONAL" is up and running..this has some good stuff..like about the german greens etc.the news link is at the bottom of the page as "weekly type character"(newsletter)  http://216.239.35.120/translate_c?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.cannabislegal.de/international/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.cannabislegal.de/international/index.htm%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DG and the news page...http://216.239.35.120/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://www.cannabislegal.de/cln/index.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.cannabislegal.de/international/index.htm%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DG
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Comment #3 posted by Delariand on October 07, 2002 at 12:48:47 PT
it's all in the family...
You know, it's like Britain is the responsible parent, Canada is the well-behaved older sibling, and the US is the whiny immature teenager.
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Comment #2 posted by MikeEEEEE on October 07, 2002 at 09:19:57 PT
A foolish game
I heard a saying once, "Who's the better, the fool, or the fool that follows the fool?"The US has been very foolish in its drug policy. Other countries are beginning to take steps whereby their not the fool following the fool. The British people have a lot of guts, I commend them.
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Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo MD on October 07, 2002 at 07:56:14 PT:
"You Can Go Your Own Way"
A true friend does not always blindly follow, agree, or acceed. Rather, a true friend advises you when your judgment has gone astray, and you are on the path to self-destruction. Such is the case with the US War on Drugs. Canada has the opportunity to lead by example, and it is essential that they do so.
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