cannabisnews.com: Decriminalize Marijuana Now





Decriminalize Marijuana Now
Posted by CN Staff on December 16, 2002 at 09:13:07 PT
Editorial
Source: Sudbury Star
It’s easy to joke about politicians and pot heads, but the parliamentary committee that recommended changes to Canada’s drug laws has offered advice that has to be taken seriously. For starters, the parliamentarians are not the first to suggest laws regarding simple possession should be eased. Last summer the Senate’s legal affairs committee said the same thing, and federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon agreed, although not emphatically. 
The parliamentary committee, which released its report last week, has suggested that possession of a small amount of marijuana no longer be regarded as a criminal matter. Instead, it would be regarded as more of a regulatory offence and result in a fine that could be paid without a court appearance — like a speeding ticket. The Senate committee — that body of sober second thought — actually went further and suggested smoking marijuana should be made legal. Either change, however, would be consistent with a trend in many democratic countries, including Great Britain and Holland, toward more liberal treatment of marijuana users. The idea of removing marijuana from criminal courts is hardly new. Although the government is likely to take some time before deciding exactly how to respond to the committee’s recommendation, Cauchon’s general comments indicate he is sympathetic to a more liberal approach, but is no hurry to be the one to initiate them. Speaking after the Senate released its report, he suggested the current marijuana laws are outdated, and “we must be able to evolve at the pace of society.” Well, it’s already too late for that. When the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs committee recommended in 1996 to change the law, it reported an estimated three million Canadians were using marijuana and hashish. That, they said, was strong proof the punitive approach had failed. Research in the United States suggests that relaxed laws haven’t had much effect. The 11 states that issue tickets for possession show no higher use than states in which it remains criminalized. As for the contention that smoking pot will lead to hard drugs, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police believe they could actually do a better job on cracking down on more dangerous drugs and on traffickers if they could free up resources now used to enforce discredited marijuana laws. The real debate in the months ahead should not be about whether to go ahead and reform the laws, or even the principle of decriminalization, but rather the details of these reforms. Marijuana remains a vice, like drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes. It would be better handled through public education and societal norms than police crackdowns and giving people criminal records. From a philosophical perspective, the debate on marijuana is likely to go on indefinitely, but from a pragmatic viewpoint, the Commons’ committee’s approach is more likely to be turned into law than the Senate recommendation. The federal government should decriminalize marijuana as soon as possible. Note: Times have changed, and so must the laws. Canada’s marijuana laws don’t work anymore.Source: Sudbury Star (CN ON)Published: Monday, December 16, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Sudbury StarContact: letters thesudburystar.comWebsite: http://www.thesudburystar.comRelated Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmDecriminalization of Cannabis Makes Sensehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14992.shtmlCanada Has It Right on Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14979.shtmlUnder The Maple Leaf: Pot Politics http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14973.shtml
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