|
|
| The Marijuana Debate |
|
Posted by CN Staff on April 19, 2006 at 15:28:44 PT Globe and Mail Update Source: Globe and Mail 
Canada -- The debate over loosening Canada's marijuana laws has been smouldering for decades, but earlier this month, the new Conservative government made it clear that it has no intention of resurrecting any such legislation in the House of Commons.The previous Liberal government was considering amending the laws, but its proposed changes died on the floor when the government fell. If those changes had passed, it would have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, 30 grams or less. While possessing marijuana would remain illegal, jail sentences and criminal records would be replaced with fines. According to the most recent Statistics Canada data, roughly three million Canadians reportedly used marijuana or hashish at least once in the past year, nearly double what it was 13 years ago. But more than 40 per cent of Canadians said they had tried the drug once in their lifetime. Of the almost 100,000 drug-related incidents known to police in 2004, half were for possession of cannabis. It is because of this that critics of the current laws say the penalties are too harsh and that the country could stand to modernize its stance on marijuana. Supporters of the laws, however, argue that marijuana is a gateway drug and that drug use increases when the penalties are lighter. Not only that, but the U.S. has made itself clear that it in no way supports the relaxing of marijuana laws, which threatens Canada's relationship with that country. Two experts on either side of the debate will take your questions Thursday at 2:30 EDT. Submit your questions: Marc Emery, publisher of Cannabis Culture Magazine, the B.C. Marijuana Party leader and director of POT.TV, has been the country's loudest voice for change. Mr. Emery says proudly he been arrested 22 times, jailed 17 times for marijuana, and raided six times. Most recently, he was arrested by Canadian authorities on behest of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency for selling marijuana seeds over the internet. Mr. Emery says he believes prohibition of marijuana is "morally wrong," and leads to increased crime in the country by fostering an illegal trade. He argues that legalization is not about promoting marijuana, but is about the right not to be jailed or punished for living peacefully and honestly. Dr. Colin Mangham is one of the nation's foremost leaders in substance abuse prevention. He been heavily involved in health and substance abuse prevention programs in Canada since 1979. Dr. Mangham has also written numerous articles and reports in prevention for provincial and federal governments. As Director of the Center for Support in Substance Abuse Prevention in British Columbia from 1996 to 2002, Dr. Mangham worked to forward the cause of prevention and to help families, schools and communities address substance abuse issues. He is a founding Board Member and Director of Research with the new Drug Prevention Network of Canada, a national network committed to returning Canada's drug policies to a focus on primary prevention, abstinence-goaled treatment, and strong and enforced drug laws. Editor's Note: globeandmail.com editors will read and allow or reject each question/comment. Comments/questions may be edited for length or clarity. We will not publish questions/comments that include personal attacks on participants in these discussions, that make false or unsubstantiated allegations, that purport to quote people or reports where the purported quote or fact cannot be easily verified, or questions/comments that include vulgar language or libellous statements. Preference will be given to readers who submit questions/comments using their full name and home town, rather than a pseudonym. Source: Globe and Mail (Canada) CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
 |
| Comment #11 posted by Hope on April 20, 2006 at 11:56:28 PT |
| for The Green Fields of France. Thank you. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #10 posted by Dankhank on April 19, 2006 at 20:00:39 PT |
| thanx for sharing that ... It'a good that we remember ... [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #9 posted by freshy on April 19, 2006 at 19:07:03 PT |
| i would put most of the blame on Bush (who focused the anti-drug campaigns on marijuana) and Hitler (who started the war on drugs). and Nixon who made laws stricter. i guess i would also blame the middle ages Roman Catholic church who determined that cannabis use was paganism. it's kind of ironic that the most oppressive rulers are the one's against marijuana. i'm gonna go out on a limb and say that if cannabis was legal/decrimilized in America, it would be legal in Canada. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by mayan on April 19, 2006 at 17:46:18 PT |
| He (Dr. Colin Mangham) is a founding Board Member and Director of Research with the new Drug Prevention Network of Canada, a national network committed to returning Canada's drug policies to a focus on primary prevention, abstinence-goaled treatment, and strong and enforced drug laws. Oh, so Mangham supports a powerful,uncontrollable black market? What a shame that this man makes a killing off of telling other folks what they can or can't put into their own bodies on their own time. Two experts on either side of the debate will take your questions Thursday at 2:30 EDT.Perhaps we could ask Marc if it's true that the drug laws have been racist since their inception? [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by global_warming on April 19, 2006 at 16:53:15 PT |
| disgrace this war on drugs is a war on human beings it is a war that is waged on our differences we' are more similar than different those frightened souders and walters and those murkowskis hover at the edge of Infinity come grasp the strength this new world is me and you your daughter and son 'we, can join this Eternal Universe Standing Together [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by global_warming on April 19, 2006 at 16:39:42 PT |
| William McBride (c)Well how do you (F) do Private (Dm) William McBride Do you (G7) mind if I sit here down(C) by your grave(G7)side And I'll (C) rest for a (F) while in the(Dm) warm summer sun I've been (G7) walking all day and(F) I'm nearly (C) done And I see by your gravestone you were(Dm) only 19 When you(G7) joined the glorious fallen back in (c)1916 (G7) Well I (C) hope you died quick and I (F) hope you died (Dm) clean Or (G7) Willie McBride was it (F) slow and obscene (C) Did they (G7) beat the drum slowly Did they (F) play the fyfe (C)lowly Did the (G7)rifles fire o'er you As they (F) lowered you (C) down Did the (F) bugles play the Last Post in (Dm) chorus Did the (C) pipes play the (F) Flooers o the (G7) Forrest (C) And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind In some faithful heart does your memory enshrine And though you died back in 1916 In some faithful heart are you forever 19 Or are you a stranger without even a name Enshrined forever behind the glass pane Of an old photograph, torn and tattered and stained And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame Ah the sun's shining now on these green fields of France The warm winds blow gently and the red poppies dance The trenches have vanished under the plough No gas and no barbed wire, no guns firing now But here in the graveyard it's still No-Man's Land The countless white crosses in mute witness stand To Man's blind indifference to his fellow-man To a whole generation who were butchered and damned And I can't help but wonder now William McBride Do all those who lie here know why they died Did you really believe them when they told you the cause Did you really believe that this war would end wars Well the suffering and the sorrow and the glory, the shame The killing the dying, the dying, it was all done in vain For Willie McBride, it all happened again And again, and again and again and again. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by global_warming on April 19, 2006 at 16:07:52 PT |
| The Green Fields of France Eric Bogle Well, how do you do, young Willie McBride, Do you mind if I sit here dawn by your graveside, And rest for a while heath the warm summer sun, I've been worldng all day and I'm nearly done. I see by your gravestone you were only nineteen, When you joined the great fallen in nineteen sixteen, I hope you died well and I hope you died clean, Or young Willie McBride was it slow and obscene. Chorus Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the life lowly. Did they sound the dead march as they lowered you down, And did the band play the Last Post and chorus, Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest. 2. And did you leave awife or a sweetheart behind, In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined. Although you died back in nineteen sixteen, In that faithful heart are you forever nineteen. Or are you a stranger without even a name, Enclosed and forever behind the glass pane, In an old photograph, torn and battered and stained And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame. Chorus 3. The sun now it shines on the green fields of France There's a warm summer breeze, it makes the red poppies dance. And look how the sun shines from under the clouds There's no gas, no barbed wire, no guns firing now. But here in this graveyard it's still no-man's-land. The countless white crosses stand mute in the sand, To man's blind indifference to his fellow man, To a whole generation that were butchered and damned. Chorus 4. Now young Willie McBride I can't help but wonder why Do all those who lie here know why they died. And did they believe when they answered the cause Did they really believe that this war would end wars. Well the sorrows, the suffering, the glory, the pain The killing and dying was all done in vain. For young Willie McBride it all happened again, And again, and again, and again, and again. Chorus [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by FoM on April 19, 2006 at 16:00:01 PT |
| Thank you! http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21742.shtml [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by global_warming on April 19, 2006 at 15:54:41 PT |
| and may God Bless Marc Emory, and every peaceful, non-violent human being who uses Cannabis [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by global_warming on April 19, 2006 at 15:43:36 PT |
| House roll call on drug bill http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/ap_alaska/story/7642704p-7554371c.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by global_warming on April 19, 2006 at 15:41:22 PT |
| Alaska House fails to pass marijuana-meth bill http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/ap_alaska/story/7642715p-7554383c.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Post Comment |  |
 |  |