cannabisnews.com: Canadian Government Looks at Ticketing 'Pot' Users





Canadian Government Looks at Ticketing 'Pot' Users
Posted by CN Staff on March 20, 2003 at 14:31:19 PT
By Randall Palmer 
Source: Reuters 
Ottawa - The Canadian government said on Thursday it was looking at issuing tickets to marijuana users as a way of avoiding saddling youth with criminal records. "Kids are ending up with a criminal conviction," Justice Minister Martin Cauchon said in a speech in Toronto. "This can have a devastating impact on their lives -- from the types of jobs they can get, to traveling or going to university in other countries, particularly the United States." 
Cauchon has long said he was looking at decriminalizing the use of marijuana and intended to go to the United States to explain his plans to U.S. officials, but postponed his plans because of the Iraq conflict. U.S. President George W. Bush said in a report in January that he was concerned Canada had become an increasing source of potent marijuana. And his drug czar, John Walters, has warned that Canadian laxity could lead to even tighter control being placed on the crucial cross-border of flow of people and goods. Cauchon said he was troubled by the inconsistent application of criminal law to the possession of small amounts of marijuana. "The criminal law is a blunt tool; it is only effective if it is applied consistently and if it reflects true social consensus on an issue," he said. "I think we need to question whether our approach of selective enforcement of the cannabis possession law has been effective." Hence the concept of having police issue tickets. "It is likely that if we moved into a ticketing regime there would actually be more enforcement of the possession offense. That has been the case in Australia." About 20,000 of Canada's 30 million people are convicted every year for possessing or cultivating marijuana. A committee of the federal legislature recommended in December that it be decriminalized but not fully legalized. Source: Reuters Author: Randall Palmer Published: March 20, 2003Copyright: 2003 Reuters News ServiceWebsite: http://www.reuters.comContact: http://about.reuters.com/custhelp/Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmCommittee Calls for Decriminalization of Cannabishttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14957.shtmlDrug Czar Talks About Tightening at Borderhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14955.shtml
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Comment #15 posted by The GCW on March 21, 2003 at 05:12:14 PT
mayan
It also discredits any notion that cannabis is not a viable crop.American farmers need hemp as much as hemp needs American farmers.We must Re-introduce hemp as a component of American Agriculture.
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Comment #14 posted by mayan on March 20, 2003 at 18:32:56 PT
GCW...
That is actually good news about the hemp shortage. That means there is a great demand! It's a lot better than the massive surplus they've had for the past few years! I'm sure they will plant more this year to meet demand. YEE-HAW!
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Comment #13 posted by mayan on March 20, 2003 at 18:28:49 PT
Legalize It
Why does Cauchon need to consent with the U.S.? The U.S. just started an illegal war against the will of the world! If Canada wants to distance itself from the U.S., the best thing they could do would be to legalize cannabis! The Revolution is NOW!Top White House anti-terror boss resigns: 
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030319-040543-3049rDemonstrations for Peace Increase Across Country and World Spurred by Bush's Unprovoked Attack on Iraq, Peace Movement Gains Momentum:
http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/qtr1_2003/0320-128.htmlAnti-War Protests Sweep Globe Following Launch of Strikes in Iraq: 
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article2343.htmHOW CAN YOU PROTEST? 
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid=12755385&method=full&siteid=50143Attack illegal, experts say:
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030320.ulaww0320/BNStory/InternationalMedia Giant Clear Channel PAYING for pro-war rallies!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/showcase/chi-0303190157mar19.storyLibertyThink Homeland Propaganda Alert Level Raised to Red ("Severe") 
http://www.libertythink.com/2003_03_18_archives.htmlTHE PERFECT STORM - Part I - by Michael C. Ruppert:
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/031903_perfect_storm_1.html
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Comment #12 posted by The GCW on March 20, 2003 at 18:15:15 PT
Another Cannadian problem...
CN ON: Hemp Shortage Threatens Growing Concernshttp://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n420/a07.html?397http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?ID=E9500938-BCEA-4A7C-9F16-151DCF92B4B8Seeds of Success
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Comment #11 posted by ekim on March 20, 2003 at 17:15:33 PT
MI drug control policy head
Ex-Starr Commonwealth exec to head Office of Drug Control Policy
By Amy Lane
March 19 14:09:00, 2003Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Wednesday named former Starr Commonwealth 
executive Yvonne Blackmond to head the state's Office of Drug Control Policy.Blackmond, of Southfield, most recently was director of development and 
community relations at Starr Commonwealth in Detroit. She previously was 
executive director of the Courage Drug Prevention and Education Program, 
where she developed, administered and evaluated drug prevention and 
education programs for schools and communities.The Office of Drug Policy, within the Department of Community Health, seeks 
to reduce the use and sale of illegal drugs, and related violence through 
education, prevention, treatment and law enforcement. 
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Comment #10 posted by DigitalFeonix on March 20, 2003 at 16:54:37 PT
afterburner
I agree, the problem I've always had with decrim and tickets for cannabis is that it is still based on the idea that using it is wrong.
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Comment #9 posted by afterburner on March 20, 2003 at 16:28:19 PT:
It was the best of times it was the worst of times
With decriminalization fines replace cages, a big plus. When Ann Arbor, Michigan, introduced this pioneering concept to North America, they had to contend with being by-passed by county, state, or federal charges, but at least the attempt was made and some people were spared a criminal record. At least if Canada decriminalizes, the only higher authority is the UN, which is looking increasingly shabby lately. The real problem is that the prohibitionists refuse to give up on the notion of punishment. Even Paddy Torsney, Member of Parliament for Burlington, Ontario, who chaired the committee that wrote the report, Report of the Special Committee on Non-Medical Use of Drugs, has been sounding pretty hawkish lately. On 360° Vision she said, “The law’s not working as effectively as we want, so we’re saying, 'Continue to make it illegal,' that’s important....
We’re saying, 'Under 30 grams you get a fine, and over 30 grams you’ll definitely have a criminal sanction.' We think it will be applied more evenly because a police officer will, in fact, write a ticket, and there isn’t, it’s not an expensive process to prosecute it and what have you, and there will be a consistent application of the law. You get caught with a joint, you will receive a fine.” -Does God approve of getting high? http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15671.shtml#2The big question is the purpose of the fines. 1. Don't get caught smoking a joint in public. 2. Will the police still raid private homes, just to levy a fine? 3. How important is this fine money to government operations?At least costs of trials and incarceration will be saved by the government. But by leaving distribution in the hands of criminals, this "half-measure" does not really address the major concern of the courts: that medical cannabis patients are forced to go to organized criminals for their supply if they cannot grow their own. "By the spring of 2003, possessing or cultivating up to 30 grams (1.1 ounces) of marijuana may no longer be a crime in Canada. At least that’s what Martin Cauchon, Canada’s justice minister, is telling Canadians." - Alejandro Bustos, NNews Canadian Correspondent, The Coming Canadian Drug Revolution http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/15/thread15192.shtmlJust how well does this promise jibe with the current proposals? Will cultivation also be subject to a fine? Will the police be actively seeking and seizing cannabis plants? If so, what exactly have we gained?ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question.
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Comment #8 posted by Sam Adams on March 20, 2003 at 16:14:18 PT
Just in case...
anyone doesn't know French....I think it's ironic that "Cauchon" means "pig" in French....I don't think most of us in the US realize how out-of-control things are in British Columbia. Cannabis is a HUGE industry up there. 
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Comment #7 posted by Virgil on March 20, 2003 at 15:29:10 PT
The Canadian Press ignores the Senate Report
Very seldom do you hear anything said from the Special Senate Committee Report in the Canadian newspapers even though it is a valuable source of information. It was released in September of 2002- http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/ille-e/rep-e/summary-e.htm
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on March 20, 2003 at 15:23:48 PT
JustGetnBy 
I think they mean this one from December.Committee Calls for Decriminalization of Cannabis:
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14957.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by JustGetnBy on March 20, 2003 at 15:17:53 PT:
Excuse Me !
If this article is refering to the senate commitee on cannibis use, they recommended LEGALIZATION not TICKETS.
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Comment #4 posted by i420 on March 20, 2003 at 14:55:46 PT
Got a phone call...
Would you believe my state rep just called me??? I didn't have much luck in changing his opinion on marijuana laws but it was contact.
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Comment #3 posted by Kegan on March 20, 2003 at 14:47:39 PT
Whatever
Great. So people won't have records. They will turn our cops into metermaids. So much for fighting crime.They will rake in tons of cash.I for one will not pay a fine or obey a cannabis law.God's law is above Cauchon's.Sick people will likely get a fine, go to court for one hearing and say "Got a doctor's note." and be let off.Meanwhile the taxpayer STILL gets to foot the $500 million a year (in Canada) to keep this silliness going.
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Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on March 20, 2003 at 14:39:08 PT
Cauchon
"Cauchon has long said he was looking at decriminalizing the use of marijuana and intended to go to the United States to explain his plans to U.S. officials, but postponed his plans because of the Iraq conflict. "Is this the stalling tactic we expected? Looks like he found the excuse to let the 6 months run out........
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on March 20, 2003 at 14:37:28 PT
Is This Good or Bad?
I don't know.
What's New
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