cannabisnews.com: Federal Smokescreen Federal Smokescreen Posted by CN Staff on December 20, 2002 at 20:47:00 PT Editorial Source: Eye Magazine Hold it right there. Before you fire up an extra joint or two to celebrate federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon's plans to decriminalize the simple possession of marijuana, take a minute to consider what's really being proposed. We do, of course, believe that Cauchon's stated intentions -- if they're actually sincere -- are a step in the right direction. What he's just signalled, on the heels of a Dec. 12 parliamentary committee report that recommended decriminalization, is that within the first four months of 2003, he'll introduce legislation to the effect that those found with small amounts of weed will only be fined and will not be charged criminally. What a small amount consists of is yet to be determined, though the committee did recommend a limit of 30 grams (about an ounce, or, say, 50 average-sized joints), and also said people should also be able to grow that much for their personal consumption.Overall, this would be an eminently sensible approach to regulating the drug, given the amount of police and court time eaten up by small-time marijuana offences, not to mention how unevenly simple possession laws are currently enforced and prosecuted across the country.If legislation actually happens (and there's reason to think Cauchon is bluffing), recreational users will indeed have something to cheer about in the new year. But the troubling part is that medical marijuana users, or federal exemptees -- the people legally entitled to smoke the stuff to alleviate the symptoms of severe illness -- are probably going to be left out of Cauchon's march to freedom. And that, given the legal hoops they've already jumped through, is a national shame.Under decriminalization, supplying or trafficking in marijuana would still be a criminal offence. Now, some pot advocates will argue that, overall, it makes no sense to decriminalize demand without decriminalizing supply. But this especially holds true when it comes to medical-marijuana users. They need a high-quality, consistent source of the drug -- the kind of supply offered by the compassion clubs and centres that have sprung up around the country, who distribute despite the risk of sudden police busts (you may recall the controversial, out-of-the-blue bust that closed down the Toronto Compassion Centre this summer).Indeed, medical users won the right to toke in a landmark 2000 court ruling. Yet by all accounts, in practice, they're still screwed.Federal health minister Anne McClellan backtracked this spring on the issue, saying she was experiencing some "discomfort" at allowing exemptees access to the government weed that's been grown in an old mine in Flin Flon, Man., without years' worth of scientific tests or some such nonsense (a court case was launched in Ontario this fall to force the federal government to distribute it). And we note with dismay the recent stories about a cancer patient who fought to have local police return his home-grown plants.So yes, Minister Cauchon, move ahead with decriminalization this spring. But while you're at it, make sure your cabinet colleagues get their collective ass in gear and distribute the weed that's already been grown under their auspices. Most importantly, as part of your pending legislation, you need to legalize supply, especially in the case of compassion clubs, those organizations dedicated to providing safe, consistent cannabis to people who desperately need it and are legally able to have it. Medical users have made a lot of noise before, and they'll make it again, no doubt. If that doesn't work, they'll continue to use the courts to ensure their legal rights are put into practice. But they absolutely shouldn't have to. Source: Eye Magazine (CN ON)Published: December 19, 2002Copyright: 2002 Eye Communications Ltd.Contact: eye eye.netWebsite: http://www.eye.net/Related Articles & Web Site:Toronto Compassion Centre http://www.torontocompassioncentre.org/Canada Committee Urges Decriminalization http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14959.shtmlDon't Throw Out Federal Pot Laws, Lawyer Warnshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14502.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by The GCW on December 21, 2002 at 05:14:21 PT New prohibitionists ploy. A LITTLE DIGNITY, PLEASE A Tennessee Nursing Home Shouldn't Have Drug-Tested All Its Elderly Patients http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n2302/a06.html?397 [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on December 21, 2002 at 04:56:34 PT Chretien backpedals on pot pledge >>We do, of course, believe that Cauchon's stated intentions -- if they're actually sincere -- are a step in the right direction.But if they're insincere - read the article below for the latest! - then it shows the Canadian government was mainly interested in derailing or delaying the long-anticipated Supreme Court case which could overturn all Canadian marijuana laws. Chretien Mellows On Pot Rhetoric [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by The GCW on December 21, 2002 at 04:31:05 PT Hemp bust in Kosovo http://www.hempbc.com/articles/2763.html UN police bust monastary for hemp [ Post Comment ] Post Comment