cannabisnews.com: The Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs The Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs Posted by CN Staff on September 04, 2002 at 14:32:08 PT Press Release Source: Special Report The Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs today released its final report on cannabis. In an exhaustive and comprehensive two-year study of public policy related to marijuana, the Special Committee found that the drug should be legalized. The 600 plus page Senate report is a result of rigorous research, analysis and extensive public hearings in Ottawa and communities throughout Canada with experts and citizens. "Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue", said Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, Chair of the Special Committee, in a news conference today in Ottawa. "Indeed, domestic and international experts and Canadians from every walk of life told us loud and clear that we should not be imposing criminal records on users or unduly prohibiting personal use of cannabis. At the same time, make no mistake, we are not endorsing cannabis use for recreational consumption. Whether or not an individual uses marijuana should be a personal choice that is not subject to criminal penalties. But we have come to the conclusion that, as a drug, it should be regulated by the State much as we do for wine and beer, hence our preference for legalization over decriminalization." Among many observations, the Senate Report concludes that: The Government of Canada should adopt an integrated policy on the risks and harmful effects of psychoactive substances covering the whole range of substances including cannabis, medications, alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs, focussing on educating users, detecting and preventing at-risk use and treating excessive use. As far as cannabis is concerned, only behaviour causing demonstrable harm to others should be prohibited: illegal trafficking, selling to young people under the age of sixteen and impaired driving. Legislation for a cannabis exemption scheme should be introduced stipulating conditions for obtaining licences, producing and selling cannabis; criminal penalties for illegal trafficking and export; and the preservation of criminal penalties for all activities falling outside the scope of the exemption scheme. Present medicinal marijuana provisions are not effective and must be revised to provide greater access for those in need. Amnesty should be provided for any person convicted of possession of cannabis under current or past legislation. In its extensive report, the Special Committee suggests a number of specific initiatives for implementing its recommendations such as: creation of a National Advisor on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency within the Privy Council Office; a high-level conference of key stakeholders from the provinces, territories, municipalities and associations in 2003 to set goals and priorities for action; creation of a Canadian Centre on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency with a strong, clear mandate, adequately funded and reporting to Parliament and with a Monitoring Agency on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency to conduct studies with the provinces and territories and table a bi-annual report on drug-use trends and emerging problems; amendments to the Marijuana Medical Access Regulations to provide new rules regarding eligibility, availability, production and distribution with respect to cannabis for therapeutic purposes; amendment to the Criminal Code to lower permitted alcohol levels to 40 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in the presence of other drugs, especially, but not exclusively cannabis; and Canada seeking amendments to United Nations conventions and treaties governing illegal drugs and supporting the development of a Drugs and Dependency Monitoring Agency for the Americas. The Committee also examined the international obligations and repercussions of Canada's cannabis policies as well as approaches taken by other countries. It studied the impact of more liberal policy approaches to cannabis in countries such as the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain along with more restrictive policies such as Sweden, France or the United States. There is a clear international trend to reassessing domestic drug policy such as recent initiatives toward decriminalization in the United Kingdom. Deputy Chair Senator Colin Kenny points out that "though what we are recommending for our country has an impact on our friends and neighbours, Canada must make its own decisions in the best interests of its citizens." The Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs is chaired by Senator Pierre Claude Nolin with Senator Colin Kenny as deputy-chair. Also serving on the Committee are Senators Tommy Banks, Shirley Maheu and Eileen Rossiter. The Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs maintains an Internet web site at: http://www.parl.gc.ca/illegal-drugs.asp where proceedings, testimony, research, general information and its report can be found. For further information: David Newman Jean-Guy Desgagne Phone: (613) 836-6039 Phone: ( 613 ) 791-7936 Mobile: ( 613 ) 795-1739 Fax: ( 613 ) 836-5370 Note: Senate Committee Recommends Legalization of Cannabis Ottawa, September 4, 2002 E-mail: dnewman sympatico.ca Related Articles:Pot Less Harmful Than Alcohol: Senate Report http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13986.shtmlSenate Committee Recommends Legalizing Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13985.shtmlCanada Panel Wants Legal Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13983.shtmlSenate Calls for Legalization of Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13982.shtmlLegalize Pot, Senate Committee Says http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13979.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #16 posted by kaptinemo on September 05, 2002 at 09:48:43 PT: It's finally Charles Fort's 'steam-engine time' Or perhaps Malcom Gladwell's Tipping Point No matter, the time has come 'round, at last. I certainly am no astrologer, but some things do seem to be lining up in the affairs of humanity.On one side, we have a near-unintelligible marionette residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue - whom you could be forgiven for confusing with an escaped chimp from the nearby National Zoo - plotting to start World War 3 over oil in the Middle East...and we have, very quietly, hardly known except by civil libertarians everywhere, a Canadian government functionary calling for legalization. Which is far more important than many reading these words can imagine.One force representing all that's wrong in a world dominated by secret societies populated with super-rich corporate fascists with an head-lock on civilization (because of it's addiction to liquified dinosaurs) who think nothing of killing millions and enslaving billions to make their vision of Utopia...with them at the pinnacle of this 'perfection'.And we have an almost unheared of stand being made against the very plans that must include war upon cannabists because cannabists harbor the truth about sustainable technologies and social systems. The truth is found in innumerable studies concerning the industrial use of this deliberately slandered and banned plant. Those who speak for this truth must be silenced, lest the cat get out of the bag. Hence, the increased repression of cannabists here and in Canada.But the hatch on the boiler has been closed too long, and the relief valve was sabotaged by those same antis. They could have let the steam out long ago by decrimming, but their good friends in the intelligence communities needed the drug money, so the valve stayed shut. And now we are about to witness the explosion of pent-up pressure 60+ years of prohibition have built.I'd happily buy every anti a ringside seat for that; with all the force that they with their ignorant (or, maybe, not-so-ignorant) moralizing have built up in that boiler, the shrapnel from the blast should leave few standing. Step right up, antis... [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by FoM on September 04, 2002 at 20:13:20 PT Nuevo Mexican I don't need to remove anything I don't think. You lost me there. It sounds like you had a good Peace Rally. That's nice! [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by Nuevo Mexican on September 04, 2002 at 20:08:14 PT Hi FOM, you can remove the 1st post if you want! Thanks! [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by Nuevo Mexican on September 04, 2002 at 20:03:36 PT Just got back from a Peace Vigil! on the main street in town where thousands pass hourly, and what was the reaction to our 30-40 people peace gathering, on three out of four corners. The response was overwhelmingly positive as local policemen gave us the peace sign! Truck drivers, all anti-war! Huge SUV's were even 50/50! My sign said: 'Got Oil? and seemed to get the best reaction, as laughs and smiles were the frequent response. No fear of being hassled, arrested, or anything as one car after another flashed the peace sign back with huge face-popping smiles of happiness. Honks of approval, the occasional 'get a haircut' and 'kill em', bomb bagdad! were heard to warm our hearts. So at least 70% were supportive, the rest looked like they were having a bowel movement in their cars, seriously! This was an observation we all made and decided those for war in Iraq are suffering from constipation. Free prune juice for the hawks and especially the chicken-hawks! I made sure everyone knew about Canadas Senate Report and it surely made for a celebratory atmosphere! Peace! War is over! [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by karkulus on September 04, 2002 at 19:57:52 PT They're ready for confrontation.. I watched it at "pot-tv",and it seemed that the Senator made the distinct point that they expect displeasure from the USA..looks like maybe they wont back-down this time! [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Nuevo Mexican on September 04, 2002 at 19:40:56 PT Just got back from a Peace Vigil! on the main street in town where thousands pass hourly, and what was the reaction to our 30-40 people peace gathering, on three out of four corners. The response was overwhelmingly positive as local policemen gave us the peace sign! No fear of being hassled, arrested, or anything as one car after another flashed the peace sign back with huge face-popping smiles of happiness. Honks of approval, the occasional 'get a haircut' and 'kill em', bomb bagdad! were heard to warm our hearts. So at least 70% were supportive, the rest looked like they were having a bowel movement in their cars, seriously! Peace! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by AlvinCool on September 04, 2002 at 17:48:26 PT Just another commission?? Not really. You need to understand Canadian politics to realize what this is. Their parliment is elected but their senate is not. Their senate is by appointment ONLY. The appointments are made, I believe directly by members of their parliment. The friends and confidants of the members in session. They are always ultra conservative and always have the parliments direct confidence.They, parliment members and their ministers, have no ground to stand on now. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by WolfgangWylde on September 04, 2002 at 17:17:28 PT Two words... ..."LeDain Commission". [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by p4me on September 04, 2002 at 16:37:22 PT Just another commission calling for legalisation It is wonderful Canada has published such a report and is nothing less than shameful it has taken until 2002 to call for change. Not that what we have let government do in this country is much, much worse. I wish Tom and Rollie could have heard this news before they were killed. Maybe one day Tom and Rollie will grab America's attention like Waco.I would think the Kubbys would use this article in their Friday show. We will see. This sure makes the US look bad if you happen to know the story of cannabis in Canada and understand the term cannabis curtain. This time last year the 50 FBI agents that were present at Rainbow Farms were doing their paperwork while the terrorist plotted. This article would be a great anniversary present for Tom and Rollie if there alive.And I guess they did not want to do the Gallup poll for some reason this year. 1,2 [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by VitaminT on September 04, 2002 at 15:46:15 PT Great NM but . . . I hope the stars are right about the end of the drug war and ANY fate that uproots the Shrub is dandy by me! But I don't want to see a war on innocents in Iraq - because that's exactly who will suffer the horrors inflicted by our politician-war-pigs. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Nuevo Mexican on September 04, 2002 at 15:29:04 PT Mark my words! As I am known to repeat over and over ad naseum, war is over, which means: act as if! The universal language of the stars deems change an ever present reality, so count on it! dubya will be over soon too, just as soon as he and blair declare war on Iraq, get ready to celebrate! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by AlvinCool on September 04, 2002 at 15:20:11 PT I hate to do this but... I'm throwing cold water on everyone today. I have heard that the minister of Canada is uncomfortable with this report and has talked to dubya. He told her to just do what the US does, spend money on more reports until one twists the facts in such a way that it can be called negative.John Walters had this to say, "Drugs are bad! We may have to invade Canada and take over.". Just kidding folks this is inspiring news! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by schmeff on September 04, 2002 at 15:14:47 PT What will the Empire do?!! "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"How will the Drug Pigs in the USofDEA respond? Will they suggest that getting opinions from the width and breadth of Canada, and listening to the most informed opinions and hearing from interests on both sides of the issue is 'Voodoo Democracy'?Perhaps all of the people who spoke in favor of legalization, while well meaning, were under the delusion that the cannabis of today is like the cannabis of the Woodstock era, when every jack-booted prohibitionist knows that today's MJ is 400,000 times stronger and instantly capable of addicting the unwitting user to heroin, crack and PCP.Maybe those deluded Cannabians aren't "well meaning". Perhaps the whole freakin' country is inhabited by potheads! Potheads who require their benevolent masters to the south to intervene, and put them in treatment for their own good.Potheads who even now, may be planning to support terrorists with all their ill-gotten gains. If you're not with us, you're for the terrorists. Perhaps in hushed rooms, the Joint Chiefs of Stiff are planning a regime change... [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Floyd on September 04, 2002 at 15:12:39 PT: Talk about turning a bad day around ;) If there was ever a doubt, this to me is a sign of how close we are. hahah I feel like listening to some Bob Dylan. "for the times, they are a chaaaanging" =) [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 04, 2002 at 14:45:07 PT SirReal I sure can! Oh what a day! I'm enjoying being happy today.This will be recorded in History! That is awesome! How many of us will never forget this? Most of us won't. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by SirReal on September 04, 2002 at 14:39:16 PT ...can you feel it..? ....the wall a crumbling down....eh? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment