cannabisnews.com: PM Renews Promise To Ease Pot Possession Laws PM Renews Promise To Ease Pot Possession Laws Posted by CN Staff on April 29, 2003 at 21:02:38 PT By The CTV News Staff Source: CTV Prime Minister Jean Chretien is picking up on a promise the Liberals made before the new year: decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana. He told a Liberal fundraising dinner Tuesday night to expect legislation soon.The announcement drew applause and a few whoops of approval, but Chretien cautioned the crowd not to get too excited. "Don't start to smoke yet," he told the $500-a-plate dinner for party donors. "We're not legalizing it, we're decriminalizing." The Liberals want to see changes to the penalties faced by those caught with a small amount of pot. The penalty would be similar to a parking ticket and would include no criminal record. "So you will have another ticket," said Chretien. "For losing your senses, or something like that.''The proposed changes came after a Commons committee recommended decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use, saying current penalties are inappropriate. The all-party committee recommended that those caught possessing 30 grams of marijuana or less (about 1 ounce) should not be saddled with a criminal record. The committee pointed out that about 20,000 Canadians a year are convicted for the use of marijuana. They said that was unfair and was a large waste of police resources that could be better spent fighting other crimes.Chretien says the Criminal Code amendments, expected to be introduced in the Commons within the next two months, would be significant for Canadian youth."It's very important because some people, because of it (the existing law), might have a criminal record that will be a shadow over (them)... for the rest of their lives," Chretien said.Chretien was quick to point out that the easing up on the marijuana laws will be accompanied by a strategy to discourage young people from using drugs.Justice Minister Martin Cauchon has repeatedly promised decriminalization. But he has put off action for months, leading some to wonder whether the government was serious. Recently, judges in three provinces have ruled that Canada's pot possession law is no longer valid. In two separate rulings, judges in Ontario and P.E.I. have tossed out simple possession charges, prompting Cauchon's department to stay all such charges. Another ruling Nova Scotia had a similar result. Chretien made it clear he's not a personal proponent of marijuana."I never tasted it in my life,'' he said. "I smoked cigarettes when I was a kid, when my father didn't want me to smoke. When he gave me permission at 16, I stopped.''The announcement will likely not please the U.S., which has repeatedly expressed concern about the increasing amount of potent Canadian marijuana flowing south across the border. Last year, U.S. drug czar John Walters described relaxing marijuana laws as a dangerous and outdated idea and said if Ottawa went ahead, Washington might have to increase border security to clamp down on trafficking.Source: CTV (Canada)Published: April 29, 2003Copyright: 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. Website: http://www.ctv.ca/Contact: newsonline ctv.ca Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmPM Says Pot Soon To Be Decriminalized http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16107.shtmlCanada To Press Ahead with Decriminalizationhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16106.shtmlSenate Report on Cannabis: Get Whole Story http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14319.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by FoM on April 29, 2003 at 23:03:17 PT afterburner I couldn't help but laugh when I read this. Now we need a T-shirt with this on it.Oops sorry I guess I lost my senses! Then a picture of a pretty bud! LOL! "So you will have another ticket," said Chretien. "For losing your senses, or something like that.'' [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by afterburner on April 29, 2003 at 22:46:44 PT: It Was on CITY-TV [Toronto] News Too. And the Toronto Star has a story:PM promises to decriminalize pot possession http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1051653737477&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968705899037I guess they realize the current limbo of court-nullified former pot laws makes Canada look inattentive and might invite international sanctions. On the other hand, Canada was the first country In The WORLD to legalize medical cannabis, the first country to authorize the legal growing of cannabis for medical purposes by a business contract, and thus a model for the new millennium. No more cannabis criminals. Regarding cannabis cultivation, 1.1 ounce is a pretty small cannabis plant, and how many sick medical cannabis patients are able to grow their own in Canada's sometimes harsh climate. This proposal does not address the court's demand for a legal access for medical cannabis, for which 30 grams is often insufficient for palliative care.ego transcendence follows ego destruction, and suddenly there is no question. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on April 29, 2003 at 21:03:59 PT Video from CTV http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1051669091811_76/?hub=CTVNewsAt11 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment