cannabisnews.com: Pot Bill Could Bog Down Border





Pot Bill Could Bog Down Border
Posted by CN Staff on May 09, 2003 at 07:38:40 PT
By Richard A. Ryan, News Washington Correspondent
Source: Detroit News 
Washington -- Just when you thought crossing the river from Windsor to Detroit couldn't get more difficult, there's a real possibility that it will. A proposal to liberalize marijuana laws in Canada could lead to tighter security, more inspections and longer traffic tie-ups at border crossings and disrupt the more than $1 billion a day in commerce that passes between the two nations, according to Bush Administration officials. 
The controversial proposal, which is to be unveiled next week in the Canadian Parliament, would drop criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Instead of possible jail sentences, violators would be subject to a small fine, similar to misdemeanor traffic tickets. If Canada adopts the relaxed law, the United States will be forced to strengthen border security even beyond the intense scrutiny put in place after the 9-11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, said Will Glaspy, a spokesman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. "That means more customs, more border patrols, more DEA," Glaspy said. The United States vigorously opposes the plan, which could become another sore spot in the often ambiguous relationship between the two countries that reached its nadir in a major public squabble over the Iraq war. "Marijuana is the most abused drug in our country," Glaspy said. "For Canada to decriminalize or legitimize marijuana means a greater availability of marijuana in Canada, which is going to cause individuals and organizations to try and smuggle the drug into the United States." U.S. Customs reported that its agents seized 19,000 pounds of marijuana at northern border crossings last year. Next to Seattle, Detroit-Windsor is the top crossing point for marijuana smugglers on the border. Trade delays Canada is America's largest trading partner. In 2001, Canada exported $217 billion in goods to the United States, and America exported $164 billion to Canada. Michigan exports to Canada in 2000 were $22 billion, up 11.6 percent from four years earlier. The threat of inspections delaying commerce was raised by Bush administration Drug Czar John Walters, who said looser marijuana laws would require the United States to do "more restrictive things" at the border. Canadian Sen. Pierre-Claude Nolin, a supporter of eased marijuana laws, dismissed Walter's warning. "He cannot stop 8,000 semitrailers at the Windsor border every day," Nolin said. "He's saying that, but he will not do it." Bill Anthony, a Customs Services spokesman in Washington, said inspectors could handle the additional work if there were any. "In the months since Sept. 11, we have bolstered our presence all along the border," Anthony said. "We have more people there. "This would not take away from terrorism. (Fighting) terrorism is our No. 1 goal. But the fact that we are looking at more things and more people probably makes it harder for the smuggler, albeit Cuban cigars or whatever. This is what we do. We're looking for everything." Experimental youth Former Michigan Gov. James J. Blanchard, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Canada from 1993-96, said his greatest concern is that Canada's loosened marijuana laws will lead to Metro Detroit youth going to Canada to obtain the drug. "This could encourage young people to go to Canada to experiment with marijuana," Blanchard said. "The longer you can delay or discourage experimentation, the fewer substance abuse problems you will have later on." "A lot of young people will go over there to get high," agreed Donna Paridee, a New Baltimore homemaker and member of the Macomb County chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). "But us older people, we don't need to go to Canada for our pot," she added. "I've been able to get my pot here since 1978 without any problem." For the most part, the United States and Canada, who share a 5,525-mile border, have enjoyed a harmonious relationship. But over the years there have been a number of disagreements, primarily over trade issues. "There is a great nationalistic streak in Canada," said Peter Teeley, a senior vice president for Amgen who served as U.S. Ambassador to Canada in the administration of Bush's father, George H.W. Bush. "In some respects, there is an element of anti-Americanism." Teeley described Canada's proposed relaxing of its marijuana laws as another "tweaking of the United States." But the disagreements erupted full force over the issue of Iraq. Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien and many members of Parliament were adamantly opposed to U.S. forces invading Iraq. In the aftermath of the disagreement, President Bush canceled a state visit to Canada that was scheduled to begin last Monday. Teeley said he thinks the disagreement over Iraq "will take a long time to repair. There are some very hard feelings there. I think some of the criticism went way too far. It appeared more personal than professional." But Blanchard believes that the differences between the two countries, whether over Iraq or the marijuana laws, will "over the long haul be viewed as minor hiccups." "The relationship remains strong," the former ambassador said. "The relationship is defined by a lot of things -- $1.5 billion-a-day in trade, millions of transactions, visitors and relatives. That's what shapes our common partnership far more than one or two government decisions." Detroit News Staff Writers Lisa Zagaroli and Joel Kurth and Detroit News wire services contributed to this report. Note: Liberalized laws in Canada would mean tighter security, long lines, drug agents warn. Source: Detroit News (MI)Author: Richard A. Ryan, News Washington CorrespondentPublished: Friday, May 9, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Detroit News Contact: letters detnews.com Website: http://www.detnews.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmFor Sensible Marijuana Policy, Go Northhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16225.shtmlU.S., Canada Clash on Pot Laws http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16221.shtmlUS Says Canada Cares Too Much About Liberties http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16130.shtml 
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Comment #4 posted by Virgil on May 10, 2003 at 01:26:45 PT
When the young learn rebellion
I think the prohibitionist kettle is boiling over. I would think Spain a nice place to visit having given up on cannabis prohibition. I would hope that when the young need to show some rebellion they will task the gaurds at the border. The kettle has boiled over and the prohibitionists stew has long been overcooked before the water dried off and the only thing left is a dwindling fire.If the Moslems have Mecca as its pilgramige city for all Moslems then young America and old America wanting some medicine from Canada at half the costs of American inflated prices will have the Canadian border. Make the guys work and let them bankrupt everything so all waste must go like an excessive military budget and the Insanity used against cannabis. The place for a young American patriot is the Canadian Border. If the Moslems have Mecca, then an American patriot has the whole of the Canadian border. It may take a person with a cannabis perspective to see it, but America needs you to go to Canada. With a bus pass i think I can get to Niagra Falls, spend my money and see what a free country looks like and the Falls of course. And if they want to search me, go ahead and waste the money. I might like it. When my 16 year-old poodle dies, I would enjoy some cool weather come one of those hot, humid July nights. Canda seems like the place to have a fourth of July destination for some cool times and a taste of freedom on America's freedom day might truly be enhanced with some Canadian cannabis with some hemp clothes and hempnuts and some real bud. I only have one vacation on my mind. It is Niagra Falls by bus if nothing else. The Canadian border is my Mecca and I plan to visit. Besides it is really hot in July in North Carolina. If the cannabis laws are thrown out by the courts, I think we will have a carpool from Hickory. Now kids, if you want to practice your rebellion and be patriotic, then the way is North. They say there is a call for freedom with the Canadian definition. It is my Mecca anyway even if I am about rebellioned out.Then there is Spain. They say that Spain is somewhat like Texas with all its diversity of terrain and climate and good cannabis growing sunshine and growing season. Spain would be a great place to make a movie with a cannabis theme. You should have seen the Spanish bud in one of Nol's pictures. It was about a foot long and about as big around as a bannana. It would had to be a couple ounces even if very dry. I am so happy to think of cannabis freedom coming to Spain. I only wish I could go. We have tghe Internet though and that is pretty terrific. Jury nullification to you too.
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Comment #3 posted by BUDSNAXZ on May 09, 2003 at 17:47:18 PT:
Border Slowdown
If I have read the facts properly , Canada is one of the biggest oil suppliers to the US. If push comes to shove I think Canada has a serious ace in the hole at the border. GO CANADA !!!!
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Comment #2 posted by Duzt on May 09, 2003 at 09:16:29 PT
since 911
So they haven't done all they can do to stop terrorism from crossing the border( I know it doesn't exist in the sense they want it to, terrorism can be putting a lit bag of poo on someones front porch if they want it to be). How can they do even more security for cannabis than they were for terrorism? What they mean by increasing security is just making more paperwork and making people sit longer. If they do start to screw with Canada I hope they screw back and start a regulated market with coffeeshops like Holland. The tourism there alone from the U.S. will make up for any loss in Canadian exports, not to mention that there is no reason to risk exporting something when it is legal in your country and not legal to export. I find it humorous that we need even more security for cannabis than terrorists, they should have added Cannabis Sativa to the axis of evil too.
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Comment #1 posted by WolfgangWylde on May 09, 2003 at 08:06:38 PT
Check those $$$'s folks..
...they add up in BOTH countries. Bush will not risk his second term by tanking the economy to have a trade war with Canada.
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