cannabisnews.com: Cauchon To Brief Cabinet, Then U.S. on Pot Plan





Cauchon To Brief Cabinet, Then U.S. on Pot Plan
Posted by CN Staff on May 13, 2003 at 07:07:26 PT
By The CTV.ca News Staff
Source: CTV
Justice Minister Martin Cauchon is will brief cabinet members on proposals to decriminalize marijuana Tuesday before traveling to the U.S. to explain the plan there. Cauchon will present his controversial plan to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft on Tuesday, Canadian officials said Monday.If Prime Minister Jean Chretien and cabinet members approve, the bill could be introduced in the house later this week, but before that happens, Cauchon wants to explain what it means to his U.S. counterpart. He is expected to stress to Ashcroft that marijuana will remain illegal.
Cauchon also wants to outline plans for stricter penalties for commercial marijuana-growing operations.Washington has expressed concerns about Canada's plans for marijuana laws. Earlier this month, John Walters, director of the White House office of National Drug Control Policy, said 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 told CTV News.In Canada, medicinal marijuana users are surprisingly opposed to decriminalization, saying it will make it more difficult for them to obtain pot."We're talking about raising fines and raising the penalties for distribution and that's certainly something that's going to have an effect on compassion clubs," said Philippe Lucas of Vancouver Island Compassion Society.Lucas told CTV's Canada AM on Tuesday that decriminalization is a "half measure" and that Canada should keep up with some other western countries and legalize pot."We're just inching ahead of the U.S. and not really in touch with the rest of the world," he said.Lucas added that rather that reduce the caseloads moving through Canada's justice system, decriminalization would clog the courts with offenders who haven't paid marijuana-related fines.Plus, he adds "decriminalization doesn't affect the worst part of our drug laws and that's the establishment of a black market."Source: CTV (Canada)Published: May 13, 2003Copyright: 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. Website: http://www.ctv.ca/Contact: newsonline ctv.ca Related Articles & Web Sites:VICShttp://www.thevics.com/Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmCanada, U.S. To Have Pot Talkhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16272.shtmlCompassion Clubs Ask for Voice on Pot Committeehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16271.shtmlCauchon Heads To D.C. To Explain New Pot Lawhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16267.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on May 13, 2003 at 07:09:04 PT
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