cannabisnews.com: Reefer Madness





Reefer Madness
Posted by CN Staff on May 01, 2003 at 02:09:04 PT
By Jerry Ward and Shane Holladay, Edmonton Sun
Source: Edmonton Sun
Alberta's top cop is "totally opposed" to a federal Liberal plan to decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot. Solicitor General Heather Forsyth said yesterday that marijuana use eventually leads to the intake of harsher illegal drugs like cocaine or heroin. "Let's be very clear here - marijuana is a gateway drug," Forsyth said. "We have huge grow operations in this province and B.C. we're trying to deal with, and I think to take it just one step defeats everything so I am totally opposed to it. Period." 
However her boss, Premier Ralph Klein, said he supports medicinal use of marijuana and will ask Tory MLAs their thoughts on the proposal that was floated by Prime Minister Jean Chretien on Tuesday. "It's worthwhile (raising the topic at caucus) because, you know, there are strong feelings one way or the other," the premier said. "It does have some medicinal benefits." Chretien announced an amended pot law and an anti-drug strategy are to be unveiled in the next few weeks. He stressed the government is not legalizing pot possession, but rather decriminalizing it so an offender will be given a fine similar to a traffic ticket rather than a mandatory court appearance and a criminal record, if convicted. The new legislation would also crack down on trafficking. But the suggestion won't change St. Albert RCMP Const. Mike Moulds's message to kids. "I have Grade 6 kids saying to me, 'Const. Moulds, they're decriminalizing marijuana and you're telling me not to use it, why is that?' " said Moulds, who runs the detachment's school-based DARE program, where officers try to deter drug use among kids. "And I tell them, the negative effects of marijuana outweigh the positive ones. And what are the positive effects? I say there are no positive effects." And Mayor Bill Smith said yesterday he's not sure what practical effect decriminalization will have. "If it's going to open things up (to more drug use), then I think that's a concern," Smith said. The Edmonton Police Association also has "deep-seated concerns" about a move which tells people it's OK to smoke pot, said executive director Bob Claney. "All of a sudden, you've got all these people out running around, driving vehicles, who are impaired," Claney said. "The consumption leads to problems, and they become insurmountable problems because the whole situation gets out of control." But Det. Clayton Sach of the joint city police/RCMP Green Team - which targets grow operations - said while he doesn't see the number of pot smokers increasing much, he does expect more people will start growing pot. "It's already socially acceptable, so is this going to make it more acceptable? Probably so," he said. "So I think our work would increase because there will be more customers, and they're going to create more growers."  Note: Alberta's top cop says no to decriminalizing pot.Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB) Author: Jerry Ward and Shane Holladay, Edmonton SunPublished: Thursday, May 1, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Canoe Limited PartnershipContact: letters edm.sunpub.comWebsite: http://www.fyiedmonton.com/htdocs/edmsun.shtmlRelated Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmCanada's Marijuana Havenhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16109.shtmlPolice Mellow On Weed http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16077.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by Kegan on May 01, 2003 at 04:12:00 PT
I sent this
"I have Grade 6 kids saying to me, 'Const. Moulds, they're decriminalizing marijuana and you're telling me not to use it, why is that?' " said Moulds, who runs the detachment's school-based DARE program, where officers try to deter drug use among kids. 
"And I tell them, the negative effects of marijuana outweigh the positive ones. And what are the positive effects? I say there are no positive effects." Moulds, you are a fool. The positive effects have been well documented, and I personally have witnessed people have fewer seizures, and much much better quality of life. Myself included. Cannabis is medicine. You know. I know it. Stop lying!
Cannabis saved my life, and continues to save it every day. And the lives of my friends. You are a fool and you are lying to children.
Russell Barth
Ottawa, ON
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Comment #1 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on May 01, 2003 at 03:39:39 PT
LTE
Sirs,  When Solicitor General Heather Forsythe says, "We have huge grow operations in this province and B.C. we're trying to deal with, and I think to take it just one step defeats everything so I am totally opposed to it," she may have a good point. If the Chretien government makes smoking marijuana even less of a crime than it already is, but does nothing about bringing the supply out of the black market, then Canada will have an even larger criminal economy than ever.  Instead of this scenario, I think Chretien ought to take two steps. Legalizing consumption for adults should coincide with laws designed to give adults a place to purchase their cannabis from a regulated and tax-paying establishment. If Chretien legalizes consumption without giving people somewhere to buy it, black market dealers will continue to thrive.
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