cannabisnews.com: Bigger Pot Black Market Predicted





Bigger Pot Black Market Predicted
Posted by CN Staff on May 19, 2003 at 06:48:07 PT
By Maria McClintock, Sun Ottawa Bureau
Source: Edmonton Sun
Ottawa -- The federal government will create a higher demand and larger black market for pot with its proposed marijuana law, a former lawyer and marijuana activist said yesterday. Rick Reimer, one of 600 Canadians given special status by the feds to legally smoke pot for medical reasons, also said the new law gives police too much discretion. 
"What happens when you have a black market commodity and ... you enormously increase the demand by decriminalizing it but simultaneously constrict the supply by making it far more dangerous (with tougher trafficking and growing penalties), what you do is create an even worse black market," Reimer told CanWest Global's Ottawa Inside Out yesterday. "(The police) will then be faced with a choice: Do we take this as a sign that marijuana is not really a big problem and therefore start turning more of a blind eye? Or do we write a lot of $100 tickets? "I'd like to think the police will do (the first), but I'm afraid that they're ... going to write a lot of $100 tickets," said Reimer, who has multiple sclerosis. Ottawa was supposed to table its new pot laws last week. That plan was derailed after Justice Minister Martin Cauchon went to Washington last week to meet with his U.S. counterpart, John Ashcroft. Following that session, Cauchon has stalled his plans to bring the new law forward. But reports say the government plans to decriminalize possession of 15 grams of pot, which will be punishable by a $100 ticket for teens and $150 for adults. Police will also be given more discretion when it comes to dealing with people caught with between 15 and 30 grams of pot. For those who toke and drive there's a proposed $400 fine. But law enforcement officials admit the smoking and driving issue is a tough one because there are no tools - like the roadside breathalyser - to judge if a person is stoned at the wheel. Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB) Author:  Maria McClintock, Sun Ottawa BureauPublished: Monday,  May 19, 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.htmRelaxation of MJ Law To Take Until Christmashttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16333.shtmlNo Laws Ban Possession of Marijuana, Court Ruleshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16321.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by til on May 19, 2003 at 16:10:26 PT:
Increased demand
Grow,grow,grow your own you won't have to pay.Mari,mari,mari feel dealers go away.
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