cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Still Illegal Despite Ruling





Marijuana Still Illegal Despite Ruling
Posted by CN Staff on September 17, 2003 at 08:04:50 PT
By David Hogben, Vancouver Sun
Source: Vancouver Sun 
Officers will still use discretion when enforcing the law, Vancouver police say. The Vancouver police department, B.C.'s top law enforcement officer and a university criminologist all say marijuana remains illegal in B.C. despite a contrary ruling by provincial court Judge Patrick Chen.Vancouver police Constable Sarah Bloor said police rarely enforce the law, but have the right to do so. She said that will be the situation unless Parliament changes the law as the federal Liberal government has indicated it could this fall.
Bloor said police use discretion enforcing the law, but would not say exactly under which circumstances an officer would recommend charges to the federal Crown, which is responsible for charge approval in drug cases."It depends upon the situation and each officer is going to have to make a decision based upon the situation as it presents itself."Bloor said one situation where a charge would be be recommended would be if an officer found a person impaired by drugs who was operating a motor vehicle or committing another crime.The decriminalization issue hit the headlines again Tuesday when it was reported Chen ruled earlier this month that the law was void since Ontario's top appeal court ruled three years ago that it was invalid.Simon Fraser University criminologist Neil Boyd said, however, the Ontario appeal court decision can be used to persuade, but not bind judges in B.C. courts. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/lawbc.htmSource: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)Author: David Hogben, Vancouver SunPublished: Wednesday, September 17, 2003Copyright: 2003 Vancouver Sun Contact: sunletters pacpress.southam.caWebsite: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/Related Articles & Web Site:Text of Judge Chen's Decision http://freedomtoexhale.com/legalbc.htmB.C. Court Loosens The Law On Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17327.shtmlCalls Flood In Over B.C. Judge's Ruling http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17324.shtmlPot Verdict Raises U.S. Hackles http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17318.shtmlB.C.'s Marijuana Law Doesn't Exist, Judge Ruleshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17313.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by Arthropod on September 17, 2003 at 12:51:29 PT:
Cops and that branch
When the time comes and the cops are begging for funds and public support, I'll be waiting with my saw in hand. Just remember what these people have done to us all these years. I'm usually the forgiving type, but these are people who never think twice about the devastation they wreak on innocent people's lives. 
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Comment #3 posted by lilgrasshoppah77 on September 17, 2003 at 11:59:10 PT:
It's funny how the law is tantamount...
right up until it's no longer in the cops' collective favor!Two separate police forces, two separate declarations of defience(Seattle and Vancouver).And they call potheads rebellious! 
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Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on September 17, 2003 at 08:30:22 PT:
The willfully blind will have those blinders 
ripped off their smug, closed faces in a courtroom if this keeps up. And the results will be financially devastating for the police and the local governments they are dependent upon for funding.Keep it up, guys, keep it up. There's MILLIONS more of us than there are of you...and we're angry enough to do something about it. For once, the police are the ones who are out on the legal limb, and there's plenty of us with the desire to saw it off right now.
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Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on September 17, 2003 at 08:29:33 PT
In other words
The police these days clearly consider themselves the source of the law and of legal authority.It's almost as if there's been a coup and the media just haven't caught on.
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