cannabisnews.com: Many Other Countries Try Decriminalization





Many Other Countries Try Decriminalization
Posted by CN Staff on December 11, 2002 at 07:51:17 PT
By Graeme Smith
Source: Globe and Mail 
Easing marijuana laws would remove Canada from the "lonely corner" it now shares with the few remaining Western countries that use criminal convictions to punish users, experts say.As an all-party committee of MPs prepares to release a report in Ottawa tomorrow that could recommend decriminalizing marijuana, researchers say too many people are unaware that such legal changes are already common around the world.
"Pretty much all the countries are doing this," said Benedikt Fischer of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto.Sweden and the United States are among the last countries to enforce strict laws against possession. Small-scale possession can mean six months of jail time in Sweden and up to four years of jail in the United States. About half of all drug convictions in those countries are for cannabis possession.Most others are moving to more liberal policies, despite international treaties such the 1988 Vienna Convention that outlawed possession, purchase and cultivation of drugs for personal consumption.The International Narcotics Control Board declared in 1992 that none of the conventions force governments to convict or punish people who use illegal drugs.That's the legal loophole that authorities in the Netherlands began using in the 1970s. Dutch marijuana users can still technically spend a month in jail for possession, but police have been told to ignore anyone with less than 30 grams, and they tolerate "coffee shops" that sell the drug."Despite the overarching framework of prohibition, each country is trying to extricate itself," said senior scientist Patricia Erickson, another researcher at CAMH. "The overall trend is away from punitive measures."The trend began with the Dutch, but many other governments have also eased their laws. Australia, Austria, Greece, Ireland and the United Kingdom have designed legal mechanisms to give marijuana smokers -- especially first offenders -- warnings, tickets or treatment instead of punishment.Some jurisdictions have claimed success with these non-criminal measures because the drug users aren't saddled with criminal records, and burdens on the court system are generally lighter.But some decriminalized systems are actually more Draconian than the laws they replaced, Mr. Fischer said, because police officers who might have chosen to turn a blind eye in the past are now writing numerous, expensive tickets."Sometimes these new forms of social control can be much more onerous," Mr. Fischer said. "You can make the system much worse."Other countries are more permissive, even though strict laws remain on the books. Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland operate with de facto decriminalization because prosecutors or police have wide discretion about whether to pursue possession cases and usually don't consider them important. Swiss authorities are even debating whether to allow marijuana retailers.Another group of countries, including Italy, Spain and Portugal, has passed laws fully decriminalizing marijuana. In Portugal, for instance, drug users are now exempt from criminal proceedings and are referred instead to health authorities.Canada's proximity to the United States shouldn't keep it from joining the global trend, said Eric Single, a professor of public health at the University of Toronto. Americans are unlikely to risk crossing the border to buy marijuana if Canada liberalizes its laws, he said, because the drug is already so readily available in the U.S. But like other experts, he said it's still unclear how changes in Canada's laws will compare with those of other countries.Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)Author: Graeme SmithPublished: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 – Print Edition, Page A10Copyright: 2002 The Globe and Mail CompanyContact: letters globeandmail.caWebsite: http://www.globeandmail.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmParliamentary Committee To Recommend Pot Lawhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14942.shtmlNew Pot Laws Could Be Inconsistent: Advocateshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14939.shtmlDecriminalizing Pot Could Come Early in New Year http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14929.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on December 11, 2002 at 10:15:13 PT
Thanks p4me
I'll make it a point to watch the program later on today since I finally got real player to work. I hope that Steve recovers rapidly and that this treatment helps him live a long and productive life.
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Comment #4 posted by p4me on December 11, 2002 at 09:24:03 PT
The lead story at pot-tv
The lead story at pot-tv was of course about the Commons report and listed this link to a Cnews article as the reference for the article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread14934.shtml This article is also from the Globe and Mail that appeared here at Cnews yesterday morning.Steve Kubby is recovering from radiation therapy so Michele was the only person on the show. A former editor of the LA Times was the guest commentator that made his views known by phone. It was interesting that he refered to the Canadian Senate's report in regards to their view of decrimilization as "institutional hypocracy." He also said the Commons report was a baby step towards real reform.1
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Comment #3 posted by druid on December 11, 2002 at 09:20:04 PT:
Idaho State Propaganda
I was looking on my state web pages for drug laws and came across this paper prepared by the Idaho State Police. It's a paper warning the good citizens of Idaho about the dangers of decriminalization or legalization of marijuana in any of it's forms from recreational to industrial to medical. Here is one of my favorite quotes. Sounds like it came from Nixon.Question: Are alcohol and drugs the same?Answer: Alcohol and drugs are not the same. People drink not necessarily to become intoxicated. However, people use drugs for the sole purpose of getting high.What a laugh! I just don't get these people! If anyone wants a good laugh and a good cry for us poor poor cannabists in Idaho then check it out.http://www.isp.state.id.us/investigations/marijuana.pdf
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Comment #2 posted by WolfgangWylde on December 11, 2002 at 08:40:52 PT
One nit to pick...
...the Swiss government may indeed be "considering" allowing retail sales of marijuana, but the Swiss people are WAY ahead of them. There are numerous shops that sell pot over the counter, with the local police turning a blind eye.
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Comment #1 posted by TroutMask on December 11, 2002 at 07:53:36 PT
Riding the wave of reform
"Canada's proximity to the United States shouldn't keep it from joining the global trend"and vice versa!We are SO winning. Cheers!-TM
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