cannabisnews.com: Toronto's Top Cop Blasts 'Lax' Pot Sentences Toronto's Top Cop Blasts 'Lax' Pot Sentences Posted by CN Staff on August 22, 2003 at 10:45:16 PT By David Ljunggren Source: Reuters Ottawa -- One of Canada's top police chiefs accused judges on Friday of handing down "totally and absolutely inadequate" sentences on people found guilty of growing large amounts of marijuana.Julian Fantino, who heads Toronto police force, said the public and courts were not paying enough attention to the dangers posed by large-scale growing operations. The illegal trade in pot has become a multibillion-dollar operation in Canada and in January this year President Bush expressed alarm at the amount of potent marijuana being smuggled into the United States.U.S. officials are also alarmed by Ottawa's plans to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, which they say could force Washington to tighten security along the countries' long border.Fantino told a news conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that the pot trade was responsible for more and more murders and said some growing operations were being booby-trapped in a deliberate attempt to harm police and fire service workers."The sentences that these people (the growers) are receiving in the courts are totally and absolutely inadequate and in no way reflect the seriousness of this particular very serious and difficult crime," he said.Fantino, speaking at the launch of the Canadian police forces' joint annual report into organized crime, said the marijuana growing operations had "not received the appropriate attention from the public and also from our court system."Growing operations were also dangerous because of the vapors from the chemicals involved and the fires which were often triggered by attempts to steal electricity, he said.A spokesman for Justice Minister Martin Cauchon declined to comment on Fantino's remarks but noted that the draft legislation on decriminalizing pot -- which is currently before Parliament -- called for the doubling of penalties on those found guilty of growing marijuana."This is something the government sees as a priority," said spokesman Mike Murphy.In its report on organized crime, the Criminal Intelligence Service police body said many major crime networks were involved in the marijuana trade.Those include native Indian gangs, biker gangs as well as Italian- and Asian-based groups. Street gangs were also becoming more involved in drug trafficking, it said.Fantino told the Halifax news conference that organized crime was not just a threat to effective law enforcement.""A more accurate assessment indicates the threat is more evident in respect to law-abiding citizens, democratic societies and also the stability of nations," he said."I don't believe the gravity of the threat has been fully appreciated by the public generally and -- in a lot of cases -- the policy makers."Source: Reuters Author: David LjunggrenPublished: August 22, 2003Copyright: 2003 Reuters Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmCops Mellow Outhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16558.shtmlOntario Police Are in a Fog Over Pot Lawshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16557.shtmlPolice Backing Off on Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16556.shtmlArresting Pot Smokers Not Worth The Effort http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16555.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by kaptinemo on August 23, 2003 at 05:59:34 PT: Muahahahaha! Sr. Lehder, you'r dangerous. My gut hurts from laughing..."Babies as fertilizer". These mental midgets would try it, too. After all, if AshKKKroft is as spooked by calico cats as he is reputed to be, can this be far behind? [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Lehder on August 22, 2003 at 20:35:37 PT Phil deBowl said it, and I've nothing to add, but..."Growing operations were also dangerous because of the vapors from the chemicals involved and the fires which were often triggered by attempts to steal electricity, he said."you've got to marvel at the stupidity of this. They're relentless! shameless!next they'll broadcast that growers use babies for fertilizer, and that only ABORTED babies can make marijuana ripen. Really - babies are traditionally implicated in these persecutions: crack babies, babies that vanish in the night whenever Jews are around, babies kidnapped and eaten by witches who sell their young souls to Satan....Nah, they'll come up with something much worse yet for us potheads. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by phil_debowl on August 22, 2003 at 19:27:02 PT We're not dumb Vapers put off from chemicals used to grow marijuana???? LMAO. This isn't some chemestry thing, like making meth, if there were vapors that were dangerous, wouldn't it be common sense that they'd kill the plants long before harming a person?? It's not like you mix a bunch of chemicals and whalah! you have bud. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 22, 2003 at 14:42:05 PT Related Canadian Press Release Organized Crime Booming in Canada as Cops Grapple with Gangs, Pot OperationsAugust 22, 2003 HALIFAX (CP) - Organized crime groups are extending their reach across Canada by merging with other outlaw gangs, using more sophisticated technology to conduct fraud and expanding lucrative marijuana grow operations, says a new intelligence report. Complete Article: http://www.canoe.com/CNEWS/Law/2003/08/22/166503-cp.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Petard on August 22, 2003 at 13:07:08 PT What a Hoot "A more accurate assessment indicates the threat is more evident in respect to law-abiding citizens, democratic societies and also the stability of nations," he said" I guess Canada was not even a nation until cannabis prohibition then huh? Same with the USSA, the UK, etc.. Interesting thought process there, criminality makes stable nations and democratic societies? More like criminality causes the need for police, who then need a chief, and thus himself and his paycheck are justified. If it ain't illegal then even the growers are 100% "law-abiding citizens" and there's no need for booby traps and illegal or unsafe power hook-ups, there's also no place for a black market in a legal activity.In a true democratic society his one vote counts the same as any other one vote, he hates that since he loves power and control. Sounds like he and his type are the threat to democratic societies. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by kaptinemo on August 22, 2003 at 12:39:12 PT: There are none so blind as those who won't see I feel like I am teaching "Special Class!", as the great Bill Cosby so charitably used to call it:1.) Prohibition creates lucrative black markets 2.) Unregulated black markets produce fierce competion amongst marketeers. 3.) Such competition invariably produces violence.Therefore, if you REALLY WANT to remove illicit drug trade caused violence:4.) Elimination of prohibition destroys the black markets and the profit motive for black marketeers, thus eliminating the violence.And, incidentally, removes the necessity for having large numbers of police officers, public defenders, prosecutors, judges, jailors, prison construction companies, etc. Who all would be very unhappy with being pitched off their nice comfortable gravy train.Which I am quite sure is gnawing away at the back of every prohibitionist's mind: the fear of where the next paycheck will come from if they can't lock up mainly peaceable cannabists anymore... [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by freedom fighter on August 22, 2003 at 11:44:59 PT Reuter the Pig! About Reuters Reuters is the world's largest news and television agency with 1,946 journalists, photographers and camera operators in 183 bureaus serving 157 countries. Disseminating news in 22 languages, Reuters Group PLC (Nasdaq: RTRSY) supplies the global financial markets and the news media with the widest range of information and news products, including real-time financial data, collective investments data, numerical, textual, historical and graphical databases, plus news, graphics, news video and news pictures that reach more than 519,000 users in 57,700 locations. Reuters designs and installs enterprise-wide information and risk management systems for the financial markets, and provides equity and foreign exchange transaction systems. It extensively uses Internet technologies for wider distribution of information and news. At June 30, 1999, the Reuters Group employed nearly 17,000 people in 212 cities in 95 countries.http://about.reuters.com/investormedia/news_releases/art_5-8-1999_id196.aspInteresting tidbits about the Reuters. pazff [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by BigDawg on August 22, 2003 at 11:29:57 PT Actually... ... I don't think the gravity of the threat is fully appreciated... as being CAUSED by prohibition. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment