cannabisnews.com: Drug Scheme Full of Mixed Messages Drug Scheme Full of Mixed Messages Posted by CN Staff on May 28, 2003 at 12:03:33 PT By Chantal Hébert Source: Toronto Star Ottawa — For anyone looking for symptoms of the political bipolar disorder which has seized the national capital in the dying days of the Chrétien era, a good place to start is the confused federal Drug Strategy unveiled yesterday in Parliament. Rarely have so many conflicting messages managed to find their way into a single government initiative. The result is not pretty.The strategy purports to achieve zero-tolerance for marijuana with one hand while setting in motion the long overdue decriminalization of the same substance with the other. It aims to severely curtail the supply and demand of illicit drugs in general throughout Canada.Yet it proposes to lure police forces into devoting more energy exacting fines from small users and growers of marijuana, often at the expense of other drug-fighting activities on the criminal front.It is meant to ensure the equal application of the marijuana statutes across the land by providing more sensible guidance to a justice system increasingly reluctant to saddle young people with criminal records for the mere possession of a few joints. But it opens the door to arbitrary witch hunts and police harassment by turning marijuana users into potential cash cows on par with parking offenders.Any driver caught with a small amount of marijuana would be fined $250 to $400 for possession while operating a vehicle, more than double the average fine. There would be no requirement on the system to demonstrate that possession without consumption has any impact on the operation of the said vehicle. The bill would also treat possession of small amounts of marijuana in the undefined vicinity of a school as an aggravating circumstance leading to higher fines.A key part of the strategy involves encouraging young people to leave marijuana alone. But the bill sets much lower fines for underage offenders than for adults ($100 vs. $150 for possession of 15 grams or less), making it more attractive for drug dealers to use minors to peddle small amounts of marijuana to their peers.It purports to free up police forces to deal with large-scale producers of marijuana. But rather than allow users of the garden-type variety to bypass the organized-crime drug black market by providing for themselves, the new bill contemplates fines up to $5,000 for anyone caught growing a single plant of marijuana.In Quebec, government inspectors are paid to determine compliance with the language laws by measuring the size of the lettering on commercial signs. Across Canada, anti-drug forces would have to do a head count of marijuana plants to determine whether they are dealing with a summary conviction offence (one to three plants), a so-called hybrid offence which could be treated either as a minor infraction or as a Criminal Code violation (four to 25 plants) or a full-fledged criminal offence warranting either a maximum 10-year jail sentence (26 to 50 plants) or a maximum 14-year sentence (50-plus.) One can only wonder what constituency the federal government had in mind when it drafted this bill and its oddly-matched companion strategy. It cannot have been the advocates of looser marijuana laws. Although they will be glad to be free of the risk of a criminal record, many will be troubled by the prospect of the police declaring open season on tens of thousands of small-time users of marijuana through the collection of fines. On the other hand, those who fear a relaxation of the rules could lead to a more permissive drug environment are unlikely to be swayed by the promise of more enforcement.That leaves the White House, where plans for looser Canadian marijuana laws are known to be wildly unpopular.Yesterday, a trio of federal ministers insisted the proposed regime would be less permissive than that of many other jurisdictions, notably in Europe. But they did not explain why Canada had opted for a stricter regimen, except to maintain an appearance of symmetry with the United States. Presumably the message to Washington is that, with different means, we are still fighting the same (phoney) war on marijuana.Whether this bill ever becomes law is an open question.The House of Commons is about to adjourn for the summer. While Justice Minister Martin Cauchon says he hopes to have the bill passed before the end of the year, time is running out on Prime Minister Jean Chrétien whose successor will be formally appointed in the fall. The bill faces stiff opposition from the Liberal caucus as well as from across the Commons. It also falls well short of a recent Senate committee recommendation to legalize marijuana while undoubtedly going too far for other more conservative members of the Upper House.Indeed, not since the abortion debate has a government glass run so high a risk of being found both half-full and half-empty by a majority of its critics inside and outside Parliament.On marijuana as in the case of abortion, the ultimate outcome of this needlessly tortured process could be a legal vacuum.Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)Author: Chantal HébertPublished: May 28, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Toronto Star Contact: lettertoed thestar.com Website: http://www.thestar.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmLegalize Pot, Says Mayor Campbellhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16423.shtmlA Realistic Revision of The Cannabis Lawhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16421.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #9 posted by FoM on May 28, 2003 at 18:44:42 PT greenmed You never watched O'Reilly before! I guess he is shocking isn't he? Yes, all he does is shout and then shout louder. There is never a debate. I don't watch his program unless there is a guest on that I want to see. He is arrogant and mean. Needless to say I don't think highly of him. He did say once that he believes that Cannabis should be decriminalized but it was what I call lip service or he was caught off guard. I don't know if even he believes what he says. That's bad. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by greenmed on May 28, 2003 at 18:37:16 PT FoM You're welcome! It's refreshing to hear such good sense ideas in the mainstream media.I'd never watched Bill O'Reilly's show before. Does he always shout at his guests? It isn't at all a fair debate if one side resorts to shouting and ranting. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on May 28, 2003 at 14:54:49 PT Greenmed Jacob Sullum is making so much sense! Thanks! [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Virgil on May 28, 2003 at 14:24:43 PT Our entrenchment v their entrenchment Might as well say truth against lies. Our numbers only grow and we alone can win. Cannabis prohibition is dying throughout the world. If only the American patriots could kill it at the roots instead of killing off one vine at a time. Thank you for admiring our entrenchment. It is not highly decorated but we like it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on May 28, 2003 at 14:18:33 PT Thank You Greenmed! I turned on C-Span. Here is all I've found and the video doesn't work for me but it could just be my computer. It is at the bottom of this page if anyone is interested in seeing if you can get the video. I have a tape ready in the VCR!Jacob Sullum, Senior Editor, Reason Magazine, Author, ''Saying Yes: In Defense of Drug Use'' Arguments that the current U.S. drug control policy is too costly and unproductive.5/28/2003: WASHINGTON, DC: 30 min.http://www.c-span.org/videoarchives.asp?Cat=&Code= Saying Yes: In Defense of Drug Use [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by greenmed on May 28, 2003 at 14:08:52 PT FoM: Jacob Sullum talk There is a replay of Jacob Sullum's interview on C-SPAN at 5:32pm this afternoon. I watched it earlier, and recommend it highly. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on May 28, 2003 at 13:50:26 PT Yes! On marijuana as in the case of abortion, the ultimate outcome of this needlessly tortured process could be a legal vacuum.Bring it on baby bring it on! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on May 28, 2003 at 13:06:50 PT Jacob Sullum on O'Reilly Tonight at 8 pm et! New book makes the case FOR drug use! We'll speak with author Jacob Sullum.Don't miss The Factor at 8 & 11 p.m. ET!http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/index.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on May 28, 2003 at 12:13:03 PT News Article from Snipped Source New Drug Bill Gets a Rough Ride from All SidesMay 28, 2003 Ottawa -- The Chretien government introduced a new drug policy Tuesday that was denounced as a bust because it is easier on young people than adults who smoke marijuana and hashishand decriminalizes driving with drugs in a vehicle.The bill also commits to spending less than half the amount the Liberals had promised to counter Canada's multi-billion-dollar drug problem.Snipped:Complete Article: http://canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/story.asp?id=D41CDD68-B04A-428E-A4ED-7B8F99590196 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment