cannabisnews.com: Are We Going To Pot?





Are We Going To Pot?
Posted by CN Staff on May 04, 2003 at 08:44:37 PT
Editorial
Source: Calgary Sun
For decades now, a haze has hung over marijuana use in this country. Millions smoke it unabashedly, yet police still bust 30,000 Canadians a year for simple possession. A long list of government reports and court cases have called, to varying degrees, for the laws to change -- but they haven't. Until now. Canada's Justice Minister, Martin Cauchon, is poised to bring in legislation relaxing the law against simple possession this year -- perhaps as early as this June. 
The prime minister has said, in no uncertain terms, that "we will soon introduce legislation to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana so that young people do not have unnecessary criminal records for the rest of their lives." But is Canada ready? In a special week-long series, Sun Media reporters have explored that question, examining our pot laws and what changing them would mean to most Canadians. The series' findings surprised many and also was the catalyst for the increased debate and declarations by Jean Chretien this past week. For instance, our exclusive Leger Marketing poll, conducted April 1-6, showed that, although only a minority of Canadians (35%) still believe that pot leads to harder drugs, a majority (56%) have never used it. Only 12% say they've smoked in the past year (though among 18-24-year-olds, that figure jumped to 36%). But here's the clincher. Fully 83% of respondents to the poll want pot prohibition to be less stringent and a mere 14% said marijuana should remain illegal in all circumstances. "It seems that with just 14% now saying it should be illegal, that's really saying people think changes needed to be made soon in some way, shape or form," said Leger Marketing pollster Lesli Martin. Canadians are, however, deeply divided on what should be done about the laws. Most favour change, but there's great debate about how far it should go -- whether to fully legalize, decriminalize, or simply allow for the medical use of marijuana, which 60% of Canadians support without qualification. Perhaps that's why Cauchon isn't proposing dramatic change right now. As he told the Sun, his new law will simply mean someone caught with a small amount of pot (likely around 10 grams, though that's yet to be decided) will get a ticket, instead of a criminal record. That's it. Hardly the legal revolution pot advocates have clamoured for. You won't be buying pot at your local drug or liquor store anytime soon. Yet, even this small step toward decriminalization raises serious issues, some of which the feds have yet to tackle: How do we deal with drivers who are stoned behind the wheel? (Cauchon admits there's no reliable sobriety test). Should pot only be legal for adults? How will we deter children from using it? And if it's legal to buy it but not not sell it, won't that still leave recreational and medical users vulnerable to the organized crime-controlled drug trade? Proponents point out that decriminalizing simple possession will save taxpayers $300 million to $500 million a year -- welcome news, although it pales in comparison to, say, the $1 billion the feds blew on their long gun registry. Opponents, including many cops, say the laws are already flexible enough. And while it may not be as dangerous as tobacco or alcohol, medical experts have serious concerns about the health effects of pot use, especially on young people and the seriously ill. We share some of these concerns, but we believe they can be addressed under new laws that decriminalize marijuana. For too long, the debate has been hijacked by hysteria and extreme claims on both sides. If new pot laws are coming, we must demand they be based on facts, and representative of the views and concerns of all Canadians, not just a few loud voices and special interests. So bring on the debate. It's time to clear the air. Note: Time to clear the air on some issues surrounding marijuana.Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)Published: May 4, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Calgary SunContact: callet sunpub.comWebsite: http://www.fyicalgary.com/calsun.shtmlRelated Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmLiberals' Pot Policy is a Half-Baked Shamhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16177.shtmlColumn: Time To Get Off The Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16164.shtmlPot Needs To Be Made Completely Legal http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16163.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by puff_tuff on May 04, 2003 at 09:38:56 PT
DONE
"If new pot laws are coming, we must demand they be based on facts, and representative of the views and concerns of all Canadians, not just a few loud voices and special interests."Done, it's called the Senate Report, four-volume, 650-page report -- the product of 39 meetings with 234 witnesses in eight cities, as Dan Gardner (Ottawa Citizen) said;"It is rational, rigorous, comprehensive, lucid, thoughtful and scientifically sound."
http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/14/thread14002.shtml Did any of the politicians or media even read the report?
Senate Report
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