cannabisnews.com: U.S. Drug Envoy, Ottawa To Consult on Pot Law U.S. Drug Envoy, Ottawa To Consult on Pot Law Posted by CN Staff on July 08, 2003 at 08:08:10 PT By CTV.ca News Staff Source: CTV A top U.S. envoy charged with fighting drugs will be in Ottawa Tuesday to help co-ordinate a cross-border crackdown expected to follow passage of Canada's controversial new marijuana law.When Barry Crane, who works for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, arrives in Ottawa he is expected to reiterate U.S. concerns over Canada's pot-decriminalization bill. Washington is worried that once the bill passes, more people will be compelled to try smuggling their stash across the border. Ahead of the trip, White House drug policy office spokesperson Jennifer De Vallance said Crane will be seeking clarification of how Canada plans to curb pot smugglers."Our concern is not so much the legislation as its impact," De Vallance told the Canadian Press."Our real issue is the impact on drug trafficking into the United States. That's where we're concerned and we'll continue to work with the Canadian government to make sure the United States is not adversely affected."During his Ottawa visit Crane is expected to meet with officials from the Justice and Foreign Affairs departments, Health Canada, the RCMP, the Solicitor-General's office, and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.In May, Justice Minister Martin Cauchon introduced highly-anticipated legislation that makes possession of up to 15 grams of marijuana a minor offence -- punishable by $100-$400 fines in place of criminal charges.While the proposed law lightens penalties for pot users, it also points to a crack down on people caught growing and trafficking the drug. The new law doubles the maximum prison term for growers -- from seven years to 14 -- and commits Ottawa to spending $245 million over five years to beef up law enforcement and drug prevention.De Vallance said U.S. officials are "encouraged" that Ottawa has tempered its more relaxed view of simple possession with a toughened stance on trafficking.Even though a handful of U.S. states already have similar marijuana laws, Canada's new legislation has the White House worried that more pot will flow across the border and additional drug inspections at border checkpoints will hamper cross-border trade.Cauchon has already led a mission to Washington -- before introducing the legislation -- when he tried to assure U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft that Canada would continue co-operating in police efforts against the drug trade.Some Liberal MPs have announced their opposition to the legislation, leading to speculation it could die on the order paper when Prime Minister Jean Chretien retires months from now.However, decriminalization has the support of all three candidates vying for the leadership of the Liberal Party -- and the job of Canada's next prime minister. With a report from The Canadian Press Source: CTV (Canada)Published: July 8, 2003Copyright: 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. Website: http://www.ctv.ca/Contact: newsonline ctv.ca Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmDrug Envoy Coming To Co-ordinate Pot Crackdown http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16777.shtmlA Border War Over Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16572.shtmlCanadian Pot Legislation Could Snarl Border http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16334.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #11 posted by John Tyler on July 08, 2003 at 17:17:42 PT Ribbons Great idea. I might suggest red, white and green. Red and white for Canada and green for "you-know-what". [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on July 08, 2003 at 16:34:44 PT Trekkie That sounds like a good idea. Sorry I didn't get back here sooner. We have been having really bad electrical storms but they seemed to have passed at least until the next ones roll in. I don't depend on the weather channel but when the birds outside start singing I think I'm in the clear until they stop singing again. I sure hope tomorrow turns out great. We need positive news. If Canada gets Cannabis legal it should happen in the states much faster or I hope so. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Trekkie on July 08, 2003 at 15:05:12 PT Ribbons? Should we all wear green and red ribbons on the 10th, to commemorate the occasion? ;) [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 08, 2003 at 14:50:03 PT Trekkie I'm going to jump in here too. I am so anxious to see what happens on the 9th. They sure haven't announced a program to distribute medical marijuana so it might end this whole mess and Cannabis will be legal. I sure hope so. These articles make me feel optimistic.Pot Regulations Violate Charter: Ontario: Court: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15158.shtmlOntario Court Strikes Down Law on Medical Pot: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15157.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Trekkie on July 08, 2003 at 14:39:03 PT Sam Adams I think you hit the heart of the matter. Tommorrow is July 9th, the deadline that the courts were supposed to have their poop in a group about marijuana, or else the laws against marijuana evaporate. That obviously has not happened, and will not happen in a day.Which leads to the question that makes me drool; what's going to happen on the 10th? Is it going to be Christmas morning or Sunday mass? Will it be presents and good times with close friends or a restrictive setting where you don't dare speak? I can't wait... Can I lift just a corner and peek? I can tape the wrapping back up... [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by delariand on July 08, 2003 at 12:36:10 PT Hmm "A top U.S. envoy charged with fighting drugs"Translation: An overpaid underqualified friend of a friend of a friend of some governmental higher up, suckling the fat teat of the War on Drugs, and profiting from the tax dollars of the entire country, while using our own money against us for the persecution of millions of average American citizens [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 08, 2003 at 09:10:45 PT Dan I never watched his program. I saw enough on previews and it was bad. He seemed nasty, nasty, nasty. I miss Donahue. Thanks for telling us. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Jose Melendez on July 08, 2003 at 09:03:49 PT lobby THIS! from: http://opengov.media.mit.edu/linkto.jsp?url=http://thomas.loc.govH.R.2086 Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2003 (Introduced in House)HR 2086 IH 108th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 2086 To reauthorize the Office of National Drug Control Policy. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMay 14, 2003 Mr. SOUDER (for himself and Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Energy and Commerce, and Select Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To reauthorize the Office of National Drug Control Policy. How to Arrest Prohibition [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on July 08, 2003 at 09:03:19 PT Decrim bill = red herring It's interesting that the ONDCP guy hustled up there during the middle of the summer, when the "decrim" bill probably won't be passed until the end of the year or early next year - if it's passed at all.The decrim bill is really just an easy way for the politicians to talk about the coming changes.....I think all parties involved now see the writing on the wall - the courts are about to perform a legalectomy on the cannabis laws, surgically removing them from the books. Today is July 8th - are we going to see some more action this month or what?I continue to be amazed at how the media practically ignores the judicial changes taking place, and continues to harp over the "decrim bill", even though the politicians are clearly a bunch of incompetent, bumbling idiots that will never actually DO anything. And the judges are swiftly and logically moving forward without hesitation - what used to constitute "leadership".The media just loves to suck up to the politicians, because they provide all the juicy sound bites and proselytizing. Judges just don't fit the "info-tainment" model - they don't say much, and when they do, it's awfully long on facts and short on demogoguery.Another excellent example of how the corporate spin-masters are helping to run our country into the ground. In order to accept the ludicrous waste of money that is the Drug War, they need to change the way people think. The concepts of leadership and accountability are being eroded from the national conscience. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Dan B on July 08, 2003 at 09:00:21 PT Off Topic but Worth Reporting Mike Savage, bigot extraordinaire, has finally been fired from MSNBC. Here is a link to the story: http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20030708/D7S5A62O0.htmlIt's about time. Maybe now MSNBC will find someone with a rational voice rather than hiring these idiots whose only expertise is shouting the other guy down before he/she has a chance to make an argument. Savage makes O'Reilly look like a pussycat.You may recall that Savage was the replacement for Donahue. You remember Donahue, right? He was the guy who was fired from MSNBC when his show was the higest rated show on the network (it wasn't his fault that MSNBC was a low-rated news network at the time). His one problem was that they put him in the toughest time slot for news and surrounded his show with people like Dan Abrams and that Nachman guy--not exactly heavyweights (unless, in the case of Nachman, one takes the term "heavyweight" literally). If Donahue had been in one of their time slots, he would have blown away their ratings. From what I hear, Savage's ratings were far worse than Donahue's. I am sure that the low ratings were the reason for his firing; all they needed to do was watch his show one night, and they could have picked any one of a hundred things to fire him for. Serves MSNBC right to lose viewers after hiring Savage.The best thing for MSNBC right now would be to grovel at Phil Donahue's feet until he comes back to give them a much-needed boost in their ratings.Dan BP.S. Sorry for being off topic. Savage is, however, rabidly prohibitionist, so his departure from television is a positive note for us. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on July 08, 2003 at 08:25:07 PT Tim Meehan: CBC's The Current on Med MJ Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 Just uploaded...now, on to Ottawa!http://www.salvagingelectrons.com/drugradio/cbc-current-20030708-medmj.ram [ Post Comment ] Post Comment