cannabisnews.com: U.S. Irked by PM's Pot Decriminalization Plans





U.S. Irked by PM's Pot Decriminalization Plans
Posted by CN Staff on April 30, 2003 at 21:25:35 PT
By The CTV.ca News Staff
Source: CTV
Washington made it clear Wednesday it's not pleased with Canada's plan to soften its marijuana possession laws. The White House drug czar worries that decriminalization is another sign that Canada's too soft on drug use and illegal exports across the border.John Walters, director of the White House office of National Drug Control Policy, says the Liberal government's plans to decriminalize pot possession would increase crime and would therefore pose a threat to U.S. citizens.
"We have to be concerned about American citizens... when you make the penalties minimal you get more drug use, you get more drug addiction, you get more drug production, you get more drug crime," he said Wednesday."That's what seems to me to be a little bit in denial in the debate I'm hearing from Canada. It's your decision, but I don't think the facts line up in a way that's consistent or makes much sense, especially given the brutal history you've watched right across the border here in the United States."Prime Minister Jean Chretien told a Liberal fundraising dinner Tuesday night to expect legislation soon on the decriminalizing of possession of small amounts of pot. He said he wanted to prevent casual users from building a criminal record. The announcement drew applause and a few whoops of approval.Chretien stressed he didn't plan to legalize pot use, and said any new law would be accompanied by a strategy to discourage young people from using drugs. He also made it clear he's not a personal proponent of marijuana."I never tasted it in my life,'' he said. The Opposition leader is not pleased that the Liberals seem unconcerned with the reaction of our neighbour to the south"This is a bad time to introduce a piece of legislation that will clearly be another irritant in Canada-U.S. relations," Canadian Alliance leader Stephen Harper remarked Wednesday.The U.S. has repeatedly expressed concern about the increasing amount of Canadian marijuana flowing south across the border, saying Canada has surpassed Mexico as the primary source of illegal drugs for Americans.Last year, Walters described relaxing marijuana laws as a dangerous and outdated idea and said if Ottawa went ahead, Washington might have to increase border security to clamp down on trafficking.Foreign Minister Bill Graham said Ottawa would discuss the proposed law with U.S. officials and pointed out that some U.S. states had taken similar measures on pot."I hope we'll be able to explain to our American colleagues that we're working on this... we have to eliminate the use of drugs but the way in which we're going to do it is similar to (that chosen by) many of their own states," he told reporters.The Liberals want to see changes to the penalties faced by those caught with a small amount of pot, that is: 30 grams or less. The penalty would be similar to a parking ticket and would include no criminal record. The proposed changes came after a Commons committee recommended decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use, saying current penalties are inappropriate. The committee pointed out that about 20,000 Canadians a year are convicted for the use of marijuana. They said that was unfair and was a large waste of police resources that could be better spent fighting other crimes.Justice Minister Martin Cauchon has repeatedly promised decriminalization. But he has put off action for months, leading some to wonder whether the new rules would ever be introduced. Recently, judges in three provinces ruled that Canada's pot possession law is no longer valid. In two separate rulings, judges in Ontario and P.E.I. have tossed out simple possession charges, prompting Cauchon's department to stay all such charges. Another ruling Nova Scotia had a similar result. Source: CTV (Canada)Published: April 30, 2003Copyright: 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. Website: http://www.ctv.ca/Contact: newsonline ctv.ca Related Articles:U.S. Unhappy About Canadian Law on Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16119.shtmlOntario Court Strikes Down Law on Medical Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15157.shtmlPot Charge Rejected in Potential Landmark Casehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15096.shtmlChanges to Marijuana Law May Rankle Washingtonhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14952.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #2 posted by FoM on May 01, 2003 at 12:28:37 PT
News Brief from The Canadian Press
 
Manley Regrets Never Smoking PotMay 1, 2003
 OTTAWA (CP) - In a new twist on a weedy old political conundrum, Liberal leadership hopeful John Manley has turned the once-dreaded pot-smoking question on its ear. The finance minister and deputy prime minister, 53, is on record supporting decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, a measure the Liberal government has promised to introduce this spring. But until now, Manley hadn't spoken about his personal experience with the drug. The question of pot smoking by politicians has become standard fare in recent years. Responses have ranged from former U.S. president Bill Clinton's disingenuous, "yes, but I didn't inhale," to Heritage Minister Sheila Copps's rather more enthusiastic "absolutely." Manley had to concede in an interview Thursday with The Canadian Press that the psychedelic sixties passed him by. "No, never," Manley deadpanned when asked if he'd ever smoked pot. "I regret that, now, because apparently it's 'de rigueur.' " The Oxford dictionary definition of de rigueur is something that is required by custom or etiquette. Manley's strange confession comes two days after Prime Minister Jean Chretien cautioned an applauding group of Liberals at a party fundraiser in Ottawa not to spark up just yet because the decriminalization measures haven't been passed. Copyright: 2003 Canadian Press
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by afterburner on May 01, 2003 at 09:13:50 PT:
Interstate Commerce Cuts Both Ways.
Foreign Minister Bill Graham said Ottawa would discuss the proposed law with U.S. officials and pointed out that some U.S. states had taken similar measures on pot.Just as the US federal government rattles its sabers about increasing border security with Canada, no such border security exists between states like Ohio and Oregon, which have decriminalized possession in a similar fashion, and their neighbors. Interstate Commerce does not promote the building of Interstate Borders. If such borders are not necessary to protect prohibitionist states from decriminalized states, then what is all the hoopla about?ego transcendence follows ego destruction, and suddenly there is no question.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment