cannabisnews.com: Revamped Marijuana Bill Could Pass 





Revamped Marijuana Bill Could Pass 
Posted by CN Staff on February 03, 2004 at 15:50:26 PT
By Jim Bronskill
Source: Canadian Press 
Ottawa -- The federal government is open to revamping its controversial marijuana bill when it moves to reintroduce the legislation this month, Justice Minister Irwin Cotler suggested Tuesday. The government will take steps to resurrect the bill, which would decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot, at the stage where it died when the last session of Parliament ended, Cotler said. That may mean there is time to pass the bill before the next election, expected in the spring. 
The legislation was slated to return to the Commons from committee study when the government pulled the plug on Parliament last November. The bill, which has rankled some of the more conservative-minded members of the Liberal caucus, would impose a maximum fine of $400 for adults caught with 15 grams or less of marijuana - enough for about 20 cigarettes. At the same time, maximum sentences for marijuana growers would rise and the government would put about $150 million toward anti-drug education efforts. Cotler said Tuesday the government would proceed "along the same principles and policies." But his comments indicated concerns about the bill on the part of anxious Liberals, including Prime Minister Paul Martin, might prompt changes. "When it is introduced, it will be introduced with the possibility at that point for amendments to be developed," he said. Among the changes might be stiffer penalties for organized criminals involved in large growing operations, a phenomenon that Cotler said is "something that concerns us." Martin Cauchon, Cotler's predecessor in the justice portfolio, had previously opened the door to potential changes, including: * Lowering the limit for non-criminal possession to 10 grams. * Increasing fines for repeat offenders. * Ensuring illicit growers would serve time behind bars. The U.S. government has voiced concerns about Canada's plan to decriminalize pot. But Cotler insisted Tuesday he was not being swayed by the opposition. Complete Title: Revamped Marijuana Bill Could Pass Before Federal Election CallSource: Canadian PressAuthor: Jim BronskillPublished:  February 3, 2004 Copyright: 2004 The Canadian PressRelated Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmLighten Up on Pot Growers, Canada's on a Roll http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18161.shtmlThe Pot Law May Stand, but It Still Needs Fixing http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18076.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #28 posted by Nuevo Mexican on February 04, 2004 at 16:22:02 PT
Kucinich beats Dean, Edwards, Clark!!!
The groundswell has to start somewhere!Might as well be somewhere like here, where people can still think, and function, and spread the seeds of change that were planted in the Sixties!I attribute this to the lack of telivisions' dominance in New Mexican culture, that pervades the U.S., but has lost its hold on the 'Anglos' in this community. All you have to do is look out your window, and it becomes the best big screen tv you could want!I am one of few that have a dish, and the time to moniter mainstream news, and digest Democracy Now.If I seem angry at times, (pissed at our medias complicity in the destruction of America is how I would put it), its only because I seem to be one of the few Americans left that has any quality to their life, and I feel I should not be the exception, but the rule. Everyone should enjoy the life that our Constitution guarantees, and I guess I bought into the idea that our country represented something unique in history, and took the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution seriously, as they still taught Social Studies and History in school. My favorites! The latest on Dennis! Breakdown of Caucus votes on Feb. 3rd!Dennis Kucinich polled SECOND PLACE in the Northern New Mexico. In the 35 precincts voting at 6 poll sites Dennis Kucinich got 21% of the total vote, getting as high as 32% of the votes in El Prado to Kerry's 34% and Dean's 18%. In Arroyo Seco he got 27% of the vote compared to Kerry's 30%. and Dean's 22%. Kucinich beat Dean, Edwards, Clark and Lieberman in all of Taos County. (About 100 provisional votes and the absentee votes have not been counted.) 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #27 posted by afterburner on February 04, 2004 at 14:03:09 PT:
Here You Go, Virgil:
Prime Minister Paul Martin's Speech from the Throne (SFT) http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/sft-ddt.aspNo mention of marijuana, cannabis, pot , grow-ops, illegal drugs, or prohibition.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #26 posted by FoM on February 04, 2004 at 12:47:29 PT
Human Events Online
This article has a few internal links so posted it this way seemed logical to me.Meet Canada's New Prime Minister: B.C. Bud and Paul Martin: http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=2976
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #25 posted by FoM on February 04, 2004 at 12:31:50 PT
Virgil
Do they have the individual presentations separate from each other? If they are separate and Dr. Russo's aren't there maybe they aren't finished getting them on line. I can only imagine it isn't easy. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #24 posted by Virgil on February 04, 2004 at 12:26:23 PT
Martin's Throne speech
Didn't Martin give his Throne speech yesterday? Does anyone a link to transcripts or video?I cannot find Dr. Russo's presentation in Vancouver on Sunday at pot-tv. I really would like to hear what he said.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #23 posted by FoM on February 04, 2004 at 10:06:01 PT
Budget Glance Justice 
Excerpt from article:Proposal includes adding 123 Drug Enforcement Administration agents and support staff at a cost of $35 million to restore drug investigations to their pre-Sept. 11 strength. Much of the proposed spending increases for the Justice Department and FBI reflect the top two priorities of combatting terrorism and foreign espionage. The Bush administration says more FBI and DEA agents are needed to replace those transferred to counterterrorism duties after the 2001 terror attacks. The administration wants to focus on disrupting 40 major drug organizations. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3700561,00.html
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #22 posted by afterburner on February 04, 2004 at 09:47:47 PT:
Re: Comment #9
The New Mexico Marijuana Party: Martin Luther King Day http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-2449.html
Miscellaneous with Pot-TV http://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse2449.ram
 
Running Time: 45 min 
Date Entered: 28 Jan 2004 
Viewer Rating: 7.99 (4 votes) 
Number of Views: 442 
 "Members of the New Mexico Marijuana Party organized this inspiring rally based around Martin Luther King Day and emphasizing the comparisons between the plight of the black man and that of the modern cannabis user."New Mexico is doing us proud.
 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #21 posted by FoM on February 04, 2004 at 09:06:14 PT
A Question
The news is slow and it's because of all the political news and that's ok but I have a question. I check out the Kerry forum but I don't understand what people are trying to say. I'm not that deep on drug issues. Could someone try to start a cannabis thread where people could comment on cannabis which is a topic that Kerry has said he might support at least medical cannabis? 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #20 posted by rchandar on February 04, 2004 at 08:22:30 PT:
good cop, bad cop?
bulls#$t--they're all a bunch of thugs and murderers wishing death upon innocent people. screw them and their lies.          --rchandar
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #19 posted by goneposthole on February 04, 2004 at 07:31:07 PT
Canada embraces drug war
taxation would be the way to go. They're gonna get their drug war fix. groovy
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #18 posted by jose melendez on February 04, 2004 at 06:25:06 PT
#10
Thank you, FoM!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #17 posted by BigDawg on February 04, 2004 at 05:29:35 PT
Legislators are no different
Legislators are no different than anyone else. I worry that they may get caught up in the evils of marijuana. (6) (C) chemicals left in the central nervous system after using marijuana cause the brain to be irritated and uncontrollable, resulting in disruptive behavior in the House of Congress;Lets have THEM pee in a bottle.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #16 posted by The GCW on February 04, 2004 at 05:25:06 PT
JR Bob Dobbs 
Thank You for that update.Everyone should act on this info.And while We're at it, tell the Democrats that they should adopt credible drug law reform into their platform.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #15 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on February 04, 2004 at 04:56:25 PT
Meanwhile, in the Land of the Pee
Remember the State of the Union, when Dubya asked for $23 million for school drug testing? Well, it's now HR 3720, sponsored by John Peterson (R-PA) and Mark "Darth" Souder (R-IN). Looking up the actual text on thomas.loc.gov shows that, once again, the politicians are spouting pseudo-science. To wit:(6) (C) chemicals left in the central nervous system after using marijuana cause the brain to be irritated and uncontrollable, resulting in disruptive behavior in the classroom;And, they want a system that "(1) includes, consistent with the fourth amendment to the Constitution of the United States, random drug testing of students;"... shades of those "No-Free-Speech" zones...A little good news further down: "(10) provides parents the right to withdraw their child from participation in the random drug-testing program, and ensures that parents receive notification of such right at the beginning of every school year;" they also say the records will be destroyed of any false-positives, and any real positives will not be divulged to Law Enforcement and the records will be destroyed when the student leaves the school...Still, a silver lining in a very ugly looking cloud. If this bothers you, take two minutes and send a message to your representative at the link below. It's free, and easy.
http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=4977051&type=CO
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #14 posted by Nuevo Mexican on February 03, 2004 at 23:08:10 PT
Dennis is on right now, Late Late Show
and he just asked Dennis about Marijuana. Dennis said it should not be a criminal matter. More soon!
Thanks FOM and GCW, most of those votes came from my neighborhood if you can imagine!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #13 posted by Virgil on February 03, 2004 at 20:53:30 PT
counterPunch article on Dean
http://www.counterpunch.org/stclair02022004.html This article was written by Jeffry St. Clair who is the co-editor with Alexander Cockburn at CounterPunch. I mentioned an article in the previous thread.If you will exuse an elaboration, it is articles like this that show how little people really know about the candidates. With so many candidates, it all seems like a big swirl at the county fair. Dean could easily get trounced in two weeks. It has to get down to some real issues. It is important to the country to hear how DK is different just because the media has so homogenized the news so as to make it easy to swallow. It is important to the platform that he does well as well as his future as a free thinker instead of a plutocratic hack like my senator, Dole. I am not sure if Sharpton is going to be allowed on any more debates even if he does not drop out. People do not have a clue about who Dean is and he could easily be gone in 14 days. Then DK can advance some sense.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #12 posted by ekim on February 03, 2004 at 20:40:50 PT
cannabis use cannot be described as "unacceptable
Canada has many Dennis Kucinichs and Ralph Naders and William F Buckley Jrs and Thomas Szasz and Nadelmanns and Schmokes and Sweets and McNamaras and Dukes and Montels and numbers to large to state, feel that the Free Market should be followed the law to the letter. with the People the better.it is interesting watching a law made. and who has a say in how it will affect the future.i would like to say right now that when i read Jacks book the Emperor and laid out the whole sick and perverted way the plant was lied about in the Means and Ways and how distorted the good Doctor Woodward was made to look stupid and not following his oath and the harm it did to his family let alone all others affected by the lie.now to see the same isssue raised in Canada where the medical value is helping those in need and the hemp has many value added products being invented and produced. And now comes a law as to regulate the plant this is cool. the senate report just out states in no uncertain terms that the plant is not to be feared. along with THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1894"The commission has come to the conclusion that the moderate use of hemp durgs is practically attended by no evil results at all."PANAMA CANAL ZONE REPORT, 1925 The influence of {marihuana} ... has apparently been exaggerated ...There is no evidence...that it has any appreciably deleterious influence on the individual using it.2LAGUARDIA COMMISSION REPORT,1944There {is} no direct relationship between the commission of crimes of violence and marihuana...and marihuana itself has no specific stimulant effect in regard to sexual desires. The use of marihuana does not lead to morphine of cocaine or heroin addiction.THE BRITISH WOOTTEN REPORT, 1969*We think that the dangers of {marijuana} use as commonly accepted in the past ...have been overstated...There is no evidence tha in Western society serious physical dangers are directly associated with the smoking of Cannabis.THE CANADIAN LEDAIN COMMISSION REPORT,1970Physical dependence to cannabis has not been demonstrated and it would appear that there are normally no adverse physiological effects ...occurring with abstinence from the drug, even in regular users.NATIONAL COMMISSION ONMARIHUANA AND DRUG ABUSE, 1972There is little proven danger of physical of psychological harm from the experimental of intermittent use of natural preparations of cannabis ... Existing social and legal policy is out of proportion to the individual and social harm engendered by the drug.THE DUTCH BAAN COMMISSION, 1972Cannabis does not produce tolerance of physical dependence. The physiological effects of the use of cannabis are of a relatively harmless nature.COMMISSION OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, 1977One of the most striking facts concerning cannabis is that its acute toxicity is low compared with that of any other durgs...No major health effects have manifested themselves in the community.NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES REPORT,1982Pver the past 40 years, marijuana has been accused of causing an array of antisocial effects including...provoking crime and ciolence...leading to heroin addiction... and destroying the American work ethic in young people. {These} beliefs... have not been substantiated by scientific evidence.REPORT BY THE DUCTH GOVERMENT, 1995Cannabis is not very physically toxic...Everything that we now know... leads to the conclusion that the risks of cannabis use cannot ... be described as "unacceptable"i too feel enabled not disabled by all these studies.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by Virgil on February 03, 2004 at 20:30:48 PT
Down to 5
Dean the Toast, Kerry the Establishment, Edwards the Happy, Clark the Brilliant are left as Lieberman drops out. DK will be talking truth and if he is in a debate he will stand out. In two weeks Tennessee and Virginia will vote. The best thing that could happen is for Edwards to win and Dean get clobbered and drop out. What DK has to have is a brokered convention and if Kerry does not win on first round, people might figure out he is just the establishment candidate that the media played up. The question the public will be asking is what is the difference come the convention. Kerry has gone along with Bush on everything and the thought I am advancing is that with $200 million they will only have to paint Kerry as not being different. The fact that someone in Vietnam is not a qualification for president. Actually it seems like people like AWOL in a president. They will show John Forbes Kerry's mansions and say he is all about the rich. It really is my belief that Kerry is the worst candidate to send out. There is a good article on Dean that says he never was much to start with and since nobody hear knows what he wants to change, I can agree with that.But the real news of the night is on Sharpton. Sharpton is just noise on the stage in the debates. But people should distribute the following link widely, because if people know this Sharpton could drop out of the race immediately.http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0405/barrett.php - Roger Stone, the longtime Republican dirty-tricks operative who led the mob that shut down the Miami-Dade County recount and helped make George W. Bush president in 2000, is financing, staffing, and orchestrating the presidential campaign of Reverend Al Sharpton. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by FoM on February 03, 2004 at 19:51:08 PT
Good Job!
Do you know one of the most important things to me about CNews? It's the enthusiasm and dedication I see here. We show respect to one another and are passionate about what we believe politically and concerning the cannabis plant itself. Thanks everyone!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by The GCW on February 03, 2004 at 19:40:54 PT
Let's give Nuevo Mexican a big hand.
While other states have seen Kucinich get less than 1% of the vote, New Mexico gives Kucinich 6%.Kerry & Dean received 27% each.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/nm/420Arizona = Kerry 41%, Dean in 3rd with 17%, Kucinich 2%http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/az/420North Dakota = Kerry 51%, Dean in 3rd with 12%, Kucinich 3%.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/nd/420Delaware = Kerry 50%, Dean in 4th with 10%, Kucinich 1%.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/de/420Missouri, = Kerry 50%, Dean in 3rd with 8%, Kucinich 1%. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/mo/420Oklahoma Clark takes it with 30%, Dean in 5th with 4%, Kucinich 1%. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/ok/420South Carolina has Edwards taking it with 46%, Dean in 5th with 5%, Kucinich 0%. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/sc/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by BGreen on February 03, 2004 at 19:29:46 PT
2 Votes For Kucinich From Rev. & Mrs. Green
It felt so good voting in the Missouri primary for the first legitimate presidential candidate who wants to free those of us being persecuted for using the sacred cannabis plant.The Reverend Bud Green
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by Virgil on February 03, 2004 at 17:58:36 PT
The big Good Cop, Bad Cop routine
This is the exact bill the USG wants down to the last period. Then they sit down and decide on the act. The US says, that is going to far, knowing they got exactly what they want. Ottawa says we will stand up to the US and pass this bill anyway.It is all an act and the War For Failure goes on. The object is to keep the price high, knowing they can take anyone out that is not a grower from the official government approved sources and get his money too. They have Miracle Plant, the greatest product on earth, and the New Alchemist will protect their secrets that turn a seed into pounds of gold.This act will be hard to top.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by FoM on February 03, 2004 at 17:38:12 PT
A Question
What are the current charges now in Canada for possession of 10 grams?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by OverwhelmSam on February 03, 2004 at 17:22:39 PT:
Baby Steps
Perhaps the Canadian government wants to take it slowly in order to let society adjust to the changes.On the other hand, $400 fines are a bit steep in my opinion. Yet, it still beats getting arrested and a criminal record.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by WolfgangWylde on February 03, 2004 at 16:51:39 PT
This is disasterous...
...for the Canadian movement. Full U.S.-style Prohibition.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on February 03, 2004 at 16:16:16 PT
Idiots
I love the way they say they'll throw $150 toward anti-drug education efforts. It doesn't matter if the education efforts actually do a damn thing, they just promise to spend the hard-earned tax money on it. Or maybe they're just speaking to the parasitic government agencies that benefit from the WOD - don't worry fellas, we've got a nice juicy 150 million dollar bribe for you guys, to compensate you for this infinitesmal reduction in WOD.The state of modern government and the political class is despicable. It's impossible to "do the right thing". Look at them! The closest they can do is PRETEND to do the right thing, while actually doing the wrong thing, and bribing some status-quo government parasites in order to even get permission to fake doing the right thing.It just make me wonder how long we'll last as a society. Economically, I'd say one decade, two at most, before the Greater Depression hits.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by The GCW on February 03, 2004 at 16:03:06 PT
Amendments?
Gut the whole sick prohibition and cage cannabis prohibitionists untill they submit to not harming their fellow family members.Failed clergy 1st.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by FoM on February 03, 2004 at 15:54:49 PT
Is This Progress?
This doesn't seem good at all.****Would impose a maximum fine of $400 for adults caught with 15 grams or less of marijuana - enough for about 20 cigarettes. 
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment