cannabisnews.com: Fox Promises Zero Tolerance for Pot Possession Fox Promises Zero Tolerance for Pot Possession Posted by CN Staff on March 17, 2003 at 08:11:06 PT By Jim Brown, Journal Pioneer Source: Journal-Pioneer Borden-Carleton Police Chief Jamie Fox has promised a zero-tolerance approach for persons charged with simple possession of a drug substance following a provincial court case in Summerside in which a 19-year-old Island man's marijuana possession charge was stayed, after precedents set in Ontario court cases. Fox said his officers have been instructed to apply as many charges as possible to anyone who is found with drugs in their possession. For instance, in the past, if a motorist was pulled over by police after speeding or travelling through a Stop Sign and a small quantity of marijuana and hashish was found, only the more serious charge - possession of that drug, would be laid. Not any more, according to Fox. Now every possible charge, including provincial Highway Traffic Act charges, will be laid, he vowed. That could include such things charges related to unsafe mechanical maintenance, said Fox. No charges will be overlooked in a bid to keep Borden-Carleton's streets safe from so-called "impaired" drivers, driving under the influence of mind-altering substances, he said. Fox said even passenger smoking up in a car's back seat could have a harmful effect on a driver's judgement. Friday Judge Ralph C. Thompson explained in his 11-page decision an Ontario Court of Appeal ruling known as the Parker decision effectively struck down the law that prohibits simple possession. Thompson said it wouldn't be fair to prosecute the man when 12 million Ontarians have immunity to similar charges. But Fox called Friday's court decision, "wrong" and said it should be immediately appealed. In a news release, he stated his department will continue to lay charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act as if those charges were valid charges under the Act. "This is an important health issue and further involves basic public safety, the smoking of any substances is harmful is harmful to our health, the smoking of cannibis is 500 times worse," he stated. "Drinking and driving has been proven to kill innocent people, the smoking of cannabis also affects the mind and reactions of people, now put this person behind the wheel of a car, shake the dice and let's see what happens." Cpl. Ken Murray, of the Island RCMP's drug awareness section, says the RCMP will continue to lay possession charges under the Act until told to do otherwise. "It's business as usual," he said. Source: Journal-Pioneer, The (CN PI)Author: Jim Brown, Journal Pioneer Published: March 17, 2003Copyright: 2003 Journal-PioneerWebsite: http://www.journalpioneer.com/Contact: http://www.journalpioneer.com/contact.cfmRelated Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmJudge in Summerside Stays Pot Possession Chargehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15731.shtmlP.E.I. Judge Frees Man on Pot Possession http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15726.shtmlPot Laws Unconstitutional: Lawyerhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15703.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #18 posted by mayan on March 17, 2003 at 17:55:11 PT Desperation... I sense a tone of desperation as the cops try to get in their last licks. I love it!Impeach the Shrub: http://www.votetoimpeach.org/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by elfman_420 on March 17, 2003 at 14:52:47 PT lots of invalid assumptions... Fox said even passenger smoking up in a car's back seat could have a harmful effect on a driver's judgement. Does that go for ciggs too? [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Big Trees on March 17, 2003 at 14:43:23 PT Good little puppy follow your master... When someone comes out with this type of garbage it has to make you wonder how many good little puppies are listening to it. What has changed from after this ruling to piss this nut off? Kind of sounds like he is fearing that his Job may be at stake. How can one justify wasting tax dollars on a law that is going down in flames. "No charges will be overlooked in a bid to keep Borden-Carleton's streets safe" Your a real hero for keeping those hard core cannabis criminals off the streets. It's just a matter of time before YOU see how WRONG you are Mr. Fox.... [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by Sam Adams on March 17, 2003 at 14:22:27 PT EU vote - fascinating Thanks for forwarding 312. I found this very interesting. Virtually all the questions were in favor of reform and legalizing cannabis (70 to 23%). However, people agreed with this by 2 to 1:"People who make significant amounts of money from selling drugs are the worst type of criminals. Penalties for drug dealing should be dramatically increased"This reveals that the prohibitionists are brilliant strategists. When people are asked whether potsmokers should be arrested, or if addicts should get treatment instead of prison, they all agree with reform.However, all you have to do is invoke the image of the "pusher" drug dealer, and peoples' blood starts pumping! The demonization of drug dealers has been rammed down our collective conscious for 80 years. Fear and demagogeury win every time when matched against logic and compassion.Classic "doublethink". Drug dealers are the most wretched, evil creatures on earth. However, the friendly folks down at the liquor store are good people. Waitresses and bartenders that start pushing drinks on people with empty glasses are OK (this happens to me ALL the time). [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by afterburner on March 17, 2003 at 14:10:27 PT: lombar Well said. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by lombar on March 17, 2003 at 13:51:10 PT As usual Greetings and Salutations :)"But Fox called Friday's court decision, "wrong" and said it should be immediately appealed. "A police chief has put himself above a judge. Personally, I believe tht the Canadian Senate report is circulating amongst our (open minded) Justices...I'll take the Shaffer report, Le Dain Commission, and the Senate Report's reccomendations over a person who has a vested interest in continued prohibition."The only state in which police work is easy is a police state." [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by 312 on March 17, 2003 at 13:27:36 PT evote Towards an Effective Drug Policy in the EU I just found this.Please forward this on and get as many people to fill it in as you can. The results were very encouraging when I did it.http://evote.eu2003.gr/evote/Sets.aspx?lang=1&poll=4&v=111018The Berlin wall of ignorance is going to come crashing down and all we neeed to do is see it through to the end. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by i420 on March 17, 2003 at 12:22:03 PT Wolfang remonstrance drive Wolfgang try this idea you will really make them squeal!!! They don't like it when you squeeeez the piggy bank. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by i420 on March 17, 2003 at 12:18:35 PT Off topic Remonstrance now!! jus got off the phone with one of our school board members. A remonstrance petition has been started to stop an addition and renovation of our high school. I asked him if they had started random testing of the students in extracurricular activities. He said it was suppose to begin next year. i told him that was unacceptable and we will remonstarate against ANY capital projects untill they stop random testing. We can't argue with testing for suspicion but random is gonna go.I got a chuckle out of him. hehehe I had this idea last night at work. We can't petition to change our laws like the medical states but we can stop any capital project in its tracks with a remonstrance petition. People this is our ace in the hole an we haven't even played it yet. So now i am going to contact the rest of he boardmembers and tell them the same thing. Also I will be contacting our city council and county commisioneers and tell them until a similar ordanance to that of Ann Arbor Ordinance of 1972 is passed here, we will stop any capital projects from moving forward. Propert owners don't want higher taxes and they will sign the petition 10 to 1. These remontrance petitions are a great way to get out there an practice for our petitioning and you will be able to meet the people and they will like you because you are there to SAVE THEM MONEY !! So people lets rock n roll.Now for all you legal experts here I have a question ... " is there anyway we can remonstrate against using "capital funded projects to incarcerate marijuana users?" ie.. the county jails are capital funded projects. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by WolfgangWylde on March 17, 2003 at 12:13:19 PT All kidding aside, this is a BIG PLUS for our side Once the public in general, and judges in particular, see that the cops aren't interested in enforcing the law, only their narrow-minded view of what should be, public support for the cops will crumble like dust. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by MikeEEEEE on March 17, 2003 at 10:23:56 PT Getting Tough The get tough method has been tried before, but it's just another failed approah. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by aocp on March 17, 2003 at 10:13:59 PT WTF is this? "This is an important health issue and further involves basic public safety, the smoking of any substances is harmful is harmful to our health, the smoking of cannibis is 500 times worse," he stated.Beyond the extremely poor editing of this quote, just how badly did that rabid dog bite this guy? So, the smoking of cannabis is 500x worse than smoking ANY substance? Come again? (bien sur, he probably means tobacco, but "cannibis" doesn't have the links to auto accidents nor deaths and people smoke cocaine, too) [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on March 17, 2003 at 09:54:09 PT WolfgangWylde Thanks for the laugh! I needed that! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by WolfgangWylde on March 17, 2003 at 09:52:53 PT Damn... ...its fun to listen to the piggies squeal. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on March 17, 2003 at 09:43:30 PT Interesting...... I would consider running a stop sign far more dangerous than having cannabis in your possession. 2 grams of a plant in your pocket is ruled more dangerous than barreling a 3000 pound machine into another car or pedestrian. Doublethink!These gestapo can lay all the charges they want - I would imagine all would be voluntarily dismissed immediately by prosecutors. Every single MJ charge will be dismissed, prosecutors will not want to waste their time on it. People won't even need to hire lawyers. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by John Tyler on March 17, 2003 at 09:40:28 PT Cops making their own rules But Fox called Friday's court decision, "wrong" and said it should be immediately appealed. So, the truth comes out. This cop doesn't care what the law is. He is going to enforce laws he likes. Sounds like some one who has lost sight of his job. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by 420toker on March 17, 2003 at 09:18:36 PT Ha who is he ha Who is he to tell the courts that THEY are wrong. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by afterburner on March 17, 2003 at 09:09:29 PT: Come on, Feds. Fix This Mess: Decriminalize. So much for 'we don't make the law; we only enforce it.' BTW, when did the cops become medical experts?ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment