cannabisnews.com: Solicitor General To Review MJ Grow Penalties





Solicitor General To Review MJ Grow Penalties
Posted by CN Staff on March 16, 2003 at 17:02:26 PT
By Kevin Diakiw
Source: Surrey Leader 
Canada’s top law enforcement official says he’ll explore whether there should be stiffer penalties for people who start marijuana grow operations. Federal Solicitor General Wayne Easter visited Surrey Wednesday to get a first-hand look at the city’s increasing problem with marijuana grow operations. The Leader revealed March 5 that as many as 4,500 grow operations exist in Surrey, a figure that represents about six per cent of the city’s households. 
Surrey Coun. Dianne Watts said criminals are attracted to the province because of the “lax” penalties regarding marijuana grow operations. Easter, who was here to see the situation “first-hand” said that his Surrey RCMP hosts made a compelling argument for stronger justice measures. “What I want to determine is just how are the penalties being enforced,” Easter said. “What is the sentencing on marijuana grow operations? So what will the facts show when we look at what’s going through the court system, on whether the penalties have been there and I will certainly look at that at a future date.” He said that it was made clear to him during his visit that local RCMP officers are frustrated with the revolving door at the courthouse. He said it was apparent to him after his visit that people who enforce the law feel “there should be a very heavy price paid for being involved in this kind of serious crime. “I want to compare notes on what kind of penalties the courts are in fact issuing,” Easter said. “Are the penalties being enforced as outlined in the law?” He discounted the notion of giving local law enforcement the proceeds of crime. “I don’t think we want to find ourselves in a situation where we’re depending on the proceeds of crime to look after the costs of law enforcement, it’s a bigger issue than that,” Easter said to a small group of reporters at Whalley’s community policing office. “We have been making progress in (the law enforcement) area, we’ve increased the funding for both organized crime and national security issues in budget 2001. “There’s always more that can be done, not just on a proceeds of crime issue.” He wants to bring back to Ottawa a plan that will see local marijuana grow operations not only lessened, but “eventually booted out of existence.” Surrey RCMP Const. Tim Shields said later that Easter didn’t appear surprised by anything he’d learned during the visit. “He has his ear to the ground, this wasn’t a big surprise, but it’s good he could see it first hand,” Shields said, who described Surrey’s grow op problem as typical of the region. “We do have a huge epidemic of marijuana grow operations in Greater Vancouver.” Complete Title: Solicitor General To Review Marijuana Grow op PenaltiesSource: Surrey Leader (CN BC)Author: Kevin DiakiwPublished: March 14, 2003Copyright: 2003 Surrey LeaderContact: newsroom surreyleader.comWebsite: http://www.surreyleader.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmThe State in the Pot Dens of The Nation http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15222.shtmlThe Coming Canadian Drug Revolutionhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15192.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by Virgil on March 16, 2003 at 18:30:00 PT
The Supreme Court needs to answer the Question
There is an issue before the Supreme Court on the issue of imposing laws concerning cannabis in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Now I realize that the United States cannot rule on the ability of the DEA to legislate an illegal status to one of the most healthy foods known to man and able to grow in most areas of the world without pecticides and that we have not yet seen the Uniform Crime Report for the first 6 months of 2002 much less getting the second six months added in. But we know we are a country run by fascists that lies, distorts, secrets, manipulates, and otherwise disinforms information.The issue is there for the Supreme Court and they should address it. If prohibition is in fact a violation of the Charter of Rights, then yesterday would be the day to announce it instead of tomorrow. As it affects the way one in four Canadians stand before the law, it is all the more imperitive. The mountains of crap the US government generates probably have crossed the border, but people should be asking for a ruling sooner rather than later.There is also the issue that the Special Senate Committee report also spoke to the issue of clearing criminal records. Of course if cannabis prohibition is a violation of the Charter of Freedoms today, it was a violation last year and the year before that. I am a little blank on jury nullification in Canada, but maybe we will here of it as long as the courts drag their feet like they are Americans preserving fascism.
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