cannabisnews.com: Drug Czar Claims Canada is Too Lax 





Drug Czar Claims Canada is Too Lax 
Posted by CN Staff on September 11, 2003 at 19:07:53 PT
By Elizabeth Gillespie, Canadian Press 
Source: Canadian Press 
Seattle -- While police are aggressive about arresting people for drug crimes north of the border, Canada's court system treats marijuana and methamphetamine producers too leniently, the U.S. drug czar said Thursday. "What Canadian officials tell us is that they have laws on the books that could be used here, but that the Canadian system has developed the practice of not sentencing people to anything approaching serious time unless they commit a violent crime," John Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy told The Associated Press. "So you can set up grows, you can ship drugs, you can be caught, and very little happens to you." 
Paul Kennedy, Canada's senior assistant deputy solicitor general, countered that stiff sentences aren't the only way to crack down on illegal drug use. "One factor is the severity of sentence, but it is not determinative by itself, and not every case calls for a long sentence," Kennedy said in a phone interview from Ottawa. Convicted drug traffickers can be sentenced to life in prison, Kennedy noted, adding that the Canadian government recently proposed doubling the maximum sentence for cultivating 50 or more pot plants to 14 years. Kennedy acknowledged the United States' gripes about pot smuggling from British Columbia and other provinces, but he pointed out there's a lot more marijuana coming into the United States from Mexico. U.S. authorities seized 15,400 kilograms of pot along the northern border from October 2002 through July of this year, compared to more than 544,300 kilograms along the southwestern border, according to the latest U.S. Customs figures available. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Jean Chretien's government proposed a law that would treat possession of small amounts of marijuana much like traffic violations. U.S. officials have called the proposal a horrible idea, saying it would lead to more drug smuggling along the 6,400-kilometre border. Walters criticized Initiative 75, a measure on next Tuesday's ballot in Seattle that would make marijuana possession the city's lowest law-enforcement priority. He acknowledged that marijuana doesn't cause health problems as severe as those caused by cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine, but said that shouldn't make it less of a concern. "What people do not understand today is that of the roughly seven million people age 12 and above who need treatment in this country because of their dependence or abuse of illegal drugs, 60 per cent are dependent on marijuana," Walters said. "It is more a factor in producing treatment need than any other illegal drug." Seattle was Walters' sixth stop in a 25-city national tour promoting the government's anti-drug campaign. Much of the U.S. government's $11.5 billion US drug control budget is doled out to cities and states for programs ranging from education to enforcement. In his 2004 budget proposal, President George W. Bush pitched a new $200 million initiative that would give vouchers to people seeking drug treatment at the centre of their choice, including religious programs. Some civil libertarians and those who work in traditional treatment programs have said they're concerned that religious groups could be eligible for highly sought-after government dollars. Walters touted the voucher idea as one of many ways the administration is trying to get more people involved in the fight against drug addiction. "We need more people to lean in and not look the other way," he said. "The sooner we intervene, the sooner we create a collective responsibility that says, 'We're not going to let you destroy yourself.' " Walters said he knows what needs to be done to curb drug use, and he's going to make it happen. "We're not going to say that we've tried to just give money and good speeches about this," he said. "We know how to prevent drug use. We know the importance of preventing drug use. We know that if you do not begin using illegal drugs, alcohol and cigarettes when you're a teenager, the number who go on to use is extremely small, and the number who of those that go on to use and have a problem is even smaller." He said winning the war on drugs will require better co-ordination of prevention, law enforcement, treatment and other services for addicts. "They're treating people, they're trying to get people into recovery, but they're not as tied to people that are going to help provide housing and jobs and education to make sure the recovery has the best prospect of succeeding," Walters said. "What we're trying to do is not just run good individual programs at the federal level. We're trying to make sure those programs are making a difference." Also on Thursday, Walters toured the U.S. Coast Guard's vessel traffic system for Puget Sound, where he spoke about the link between anti-drug and counterterrorism efforts. Complete Title: U.S. Drug Czar Claims Canada is Too Lax Prosecuting Drug Crimes Source: Canadian Press Author: Elizabeth Gillespie, Canadian Press Published: Thursday, September 11, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Canadian PressRelated Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmDrug Czar Calls Seattle Pot Initiative a 'Con' http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17270.shtmlFeds Follow Canada Marijuana Proposalhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16662.shtmlNo Laws Ban Possession of Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16321.shtml 
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Comment #10 posted by Jose Melendez on September 13, 2003 at 08:03:02 PT
caught by his own words
 Walters criticized Initiative 75, a measure on next Tuesday's ballot in Seattle that would make marijuana possession the city's lowest law-enforcement priority.  He acknowledged that marijuana doesn't cause health problems as severe as those caused by cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine, but said that shouldn't make it less of a concern. 
Walters Admits Pot is Safer
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on September 12, 2003 at 22:39:54 PT
afterburner
Thanks for the link. I sent mail to your frog address. I used another account to see if it is a problem on my end and thought I should let you know.
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Comment #8 posted by afterburner on September 12, 2003 at 22:27:28 PT:
Familiar Pattern: Medical-Pharmaceutical Dictators
Quality Health Care - Are You Being Denied? http://www.naturomedic.com/READING%20ROOM/quality_health_care.htm
Find out what the College of Nurses really classifies as
"Protecting the Public" excerpt: "Today more than ever, people are becoming frustrated and disenchanted with conventional medicine. As a result they are searching for alternatives. Yet people are consistently denied freedom of choice in health care. Some resort to seeking therapies in another country while these therapies should be available to them here. Nurses are witnessing the hypocrisy of modern medicine. They want to help their patients, yet it seems that if this help comes in a form other than a patented pharmaceutical drug ordered by a medical doctor, they are discouraged from educating their patients about it. Nurses are leaving their profession in droves due to a crushing workload accompanied by dissatisfaction and frustration with the medical model at large."
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Comment #7 posted by aolbites on September 12, 2003 at 09:18:22 PT
update
The case of an Oklahoma teen who was charged with a felony for writing a violent short story about attacking his school has been dismissed by a judge who ruled that prosecutors failed to prove the teen actually intended to commit the act.Citing a lack of evidence showing malicious intent, Judge William Hetherington issued his ruling Friday afternoon, bringing to close a case that has sparked controversy over its free speech implications. Now, after tens of thousands of dollars spent fighting the charge, Brian Robertson is free, but the accusation that he broke the law will stay with him. Under Oklahoma law, if a case carries on for more than a year, a felony charge remains on the defendant's record, even if the case is dismissed. The felony gets expunged from the record only if the defendant is acquitted following a trial.-=snip=-After the story was published on Wired News in August, traffic on Robertson's website spiked to more than 23,000 monthly visitors. Previously, the most visitors it received in a month was 1,200.Readers from around the world posted comments on the site. Many were critical of the Oklahoma law. As one reader from New Zealand wrote, "Another failure for independence in 'the land of the free' ... I'm delighted to live in a country where normal sanity prevails."Brian Robertson said he was grateful for the outpouring of support, especially after others had turned away from him because of the case. After local news stations broadcast his booking photo and likened him to a terrorist, Robertson said, people began to avoid him and he lost a job as a result of the negative publicity."The support showed me that people are out there who cared and who shared similar views," he said.He added, "I can't believe I can finally get on with my life."Eventually, Robertson hopes to find a way to expunge the felony charge from his record. He also would like to find a way to overturn the Oklahoma law itself.But for now he's just happy to be thinking about other things for a change."A weight has been lifted off of my shoulders," he said. 
Teen's Felony Case Thrown Out
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on September 12, 2003 at 08:09:44 PT
Related News Article from Snipped Source
Downplay Pot, Seattle Initiative Tells Police Marijuana may be illegal in the rest of the state, but Seattle voters will have a say in whether police and prosecutors go after small-time users in their city. Initiative 75, on Tuesday's ballot, would direct law enforcement officers to make marijuana busts in Seattle their lowest priority - something they say they've already done.The campaign, called the Sensible Seattle Coalition, has grabbed national attention from both sides of the legalization debate. U.S. drug czar John Walters was in town Thursday to lodge his objections to the measure, while groups hoping to relax marijuana laws elsewhere watch to see how the measure fares in a liberal corner of the country.Seattle is the only city attempting such an ordinance this year.The initiative, written by lawyers at the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, would set up a panel of 11 people to monitor the measure's effects. Police and prosecutors would be required to report marijuana arrests twice a year."Police and prosecutors exercise discretion every day. They decide all the time to arrest or prosecute. This is nothing new. It just helps the city decide where the priorities are based on citizen input," said Mark Aoki-Fordham of the King County Bar Association's Drug Policy Project.The measure has support from the bar association; Seattle City Council members Heidi Wills, Nick Licata and Judy Nicastro; and King County Councilman Larry Gossett. And money is flowing in to initiative backers from across the country.The national Marijuana Policy Project has contributed $17,500 to the campaign. The project also directed a $40,000 donation to the I-75 folks from Peter Lewis, an Ohio insurance company executive who has supported decriminalization campaigns around the country. And the ACLU has donated $30,000 to give the campaign a total of about $148,000, according to the group's latest filling with the Seattle Elections Commission.Bruce Mirken, a spokesman for the national project, said groups that want to relax marijuana laws will be watching the Seattle vote to determine whether they should try similar measures in their cities.A handful of local governments have similar laws, Mirken said, including Mendocino County in Northern California, which requires law enforcement to make prosecuting possession and growing marijuana its lowest priority.But Capt. Kevin Broin with the Mendocino Sheriff's Department said law enforcement in his county views the ordinance as more of a ceremonial measure."As far as changing the law, it's had no impact," he said.State and federal laws that make pot possession a crime still reign supreme over any ordinance Seattle voters may pass.There is no organized opposition campaign. But Seattle law enforcement have collectively spoken against it.Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.tribnet.com/news/story/3901537p-3924887c.html
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on September 12, 2003 at 08:02:31 PT
Related News Article from Snipped Source
Drug Czar Faults Canada's Policies Official visits Seattle on national tour to tout anti-drug effort Winning the war on drugs will require better coordination of prevention, law enforcement, treatment and other services for addicts, the White House's drug czar said Thursday. "There are people working every day to save lives in prevention, treatment and public safety. ... They feel that their work is not as effective as it would be because it's not linked to the other parts of the community that have a contribution to make," John Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy said. "They're treating people, they're trying to get people into recovery, but they're not as tied to people that are going to help provide housing and jobs and education to make sure the recovery has the best prospect of succeeding," Walters said. "What we're trying to do is not just run good individual programs at the federal level. We're trying to make sure those programs are making a difference." Walters said the Canadian government needs to crack down harder on prosecuting drug crimes. Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20030912/northwest/98216.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by escapegoat on September 12, 2003 at 06:54:08 PT
Pot now officially legal in BC anyway...
Before it was de facto legal...now comes a ruling -- affirming the Ontario legalization -- and throwing out the law entirely:http://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/judgments/pc/2003/03/p03%5F0328.htmCitation:
 R v. Masse
 Date:
 200309042003 BCPC 0328
 File No:
 62876-1 Registry:
 New WestminsterIN THE PROVINCIAL COURT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA[1] Kurtis Lee Masse stands charged on information 62876-1, that on or about
the 21st day of February, 2003 at or near the City of New Westminster, he
did unlawfully possess a controlled substance, to wit: Cannabis (marihuana),
contrary to Section 4(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. This is
an application pursuant to section 601 of the Criminal Code of Canada to
quash the information on the ground that it does not name an offence known
to law as required by section 581(1) of the Code.[2] The issue before me is simply this; is possession of cannabis
(marihuana) an offence known to law in British Columbia?[snip]Disposition[67] It follows therefore, that there is no offence known to law at this
time for simple possession of marihuana. The application is allowed.
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Comment #3 posted by kaptinemo on September 12, 2003 at 05:14:15 PT:
So...Johnny Pee is a Commie?
Think that queston is out of line? Then re-read this sentence, from his own mouth:*"We need more people to lean in and not look the other way," he said. "The sooner we intervene, the sooner we create a collective responsibility that says, 'We're not going to let you destroy yourself.' " *Note the words "collective responsibility". 'Collective responsibility'...as in 'collectivism'...as in the kind of thing the Sovs did, Johnny? They were big fans of subordinating individual liberty and freedom to serve mass society - a society controlled, of course, by the government. That's Communism, Johnny-me-lad. Whatever happened to 'free will', Johnny? Whatever happened to the right of the individual to live as they see fit with no interference so long as they harm no one else, Johnny? Ol' Johnny Pee is EXACTLY what Judge Brandeis warned us about, so long ago:"The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding."and"Our government... teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker (violating the Hatch Act is breaking the law, and Johnny Pee is a government representative doing it), it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy." Where's the Judge Brandeis's of the world when you need them?
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Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on September 11, 2003 at 22:13:31 PT
Walters way out of line
I'm trying to think of any other policy area where an American official goes to another first world country and preaches to them, and going so far as to threaten them.I can't really think of any! Do we go to England or Germany or Italy and tell them how to run certain aspects of their countries? The only area I can think of is trade and industrial protection type stuff. He's an emabarrassment to us, what a colossal waste of tax dollars.
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Comment #1 posted by lombar on September 11, 2003 at 21:37:13 PT
Stay on your side of the border Walters.
"...but that the Canadian system has developed the practice of not sentencing people to anything approaching serious time unless they commit a violent crime..."We'll let you in on a little secret Pee; Jails are FOR violent people. They are not the answer to every person who fails to conform."'We're not going to let you destroy yourself.' "No, you'll do it for them."Walters said he knows what needs to be done to curb drug use, and he's going to make it happen. "Guess that means more jails, more loss of civil rights, more draconian sentencing, and more wasted lives ... Seems to me that addiction experts and doctors have no real answer to drug abuse, so how can he? I wonder how he can sleep at night.
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