cannabisnews.com: Pot Safer Than Many Foods, Lawyer Argues










  Pot Safer Than Many Foods, Lawyer Argues

Posted by FoM on October 06, 1999 at 12:13:31 PT
By Hollie Shaw -- Canadian Press 
Source: CNEWS 

Marijuana should be decriminalized because it's safer than many of the foods people consume, a lawyer told the Ontario Court of Appeal today. "You can kill lab rats with sugar -- you can't kill them with marijuana," said defence lawyer Alan Young, who is representing recreational pot user Chris Clay and epileptic Terry Parker.
Young said studies suggest cannabis is one of the safest drugs out there. He also argued Parliament did not have a reasonable basis for making marijuana use illegal because there isn't proof the drug is significantly harmful enough to warrant criminal sanctions. In 1997, Clay, 28, was convicted of drug possession and trafficking charges for selling cannabis to an undercover police officer. Young urged the appeal court to strike down the verdict by Justice John McCart of Ontario's Superior Court. McCart said he believed pot-smoking was harmless and caused no serious physical or psychological damage, and that it didn't lead to the use of other drugs. But the judge ruled it was up to Parliament to determine what's illegal and said the drug charges didn't infringe on Clay's constitutional rights. Today, Young argued Parliament has displayed a historical reluctance to intervene in the matter and urged the appeal court to strike down a 1923 law "with no express rationale except hysterical claims." He also said studies suggest it's a drug that is not abused by 99 per cent of its users like harder drugs or alcohol. Young wants the court to invalidate the possession offence, eliminate imprisonment as a punishment or suspend the offence until Parliament makes a decision. On Tuesday, federal Health Minister Allan Rock said he would notify 14 more people with serious illnesses that they can use marijuana for medical purposes. The federal government first gave permission for the cultivation and use of marijuana for medical purposes in June, when Rock granted exemptions to Jim Wakeford of Toronto and Jean-Charles Pariseau of Vanier, Ont., both of whom have AIDS. Wednesday, October 6, 1999Copyright © 1999, Canoe Limited PartnershipThe Compassion Clubhttp://www.thecompassionclub.org/ The Wakeford Medical Marijuana Websitehttp://www.interlog.com/~wakeford/Pot Too Mild To Be Criminal, Lawyer Argueshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread3160.shtml

Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help










  Post Comment




Name:       Optional Password: 
E-Mail: 
Subject: 
Comment:   [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]

Link URL: 
Link Title: