cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Bill Targets Trafficking Not Possession





Marijuana Bill Targets Trafficking Not Possession
Posted by CN Staff on February 16, 2004 at 09:47:21 PT
By Kim Lunman
Source: Globe and Mail 
Ottawa -- Canadians caught with one to three marijuana plants will face significantly lower penalties and no jail time under amendments to the controversial federal cannabis bill.Legislation to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, which died when Parliament adjourned in November and was reintroduced in the House of Commons last week, has watered down the penalties for possession of up to three plants.
The amendment is among several changes to the contentious bill, which has angered political critics and police associations.Under the revived bill, possession of one to three plants would be punishable by fines of $500 for adults and $250 for people under 17 years old. Before the change, the penalty was a maximum fine of $5,000 or a year in jail. "They've scratched it," Patrick Charette, a Justice Department spokesman, said yesterday. "They consider this is not as serious an offence."Possession of 15 grams or less of marijuana under the revived Cannabis Reform Bill would be a ticketing offence, carrying fines of $100 to $400.Another important amendment prohibits police from sharing information about Canadians caught with small amounts of marijuana with authorities in the United States or other foreign governments or agencies.Prime Minister Paul Martin has said he supports the intent of the bill to prevent young people caught with a small amount of marijuana from ending up with a lifelong criminal record.But critics see the proposed legislation having less benign results."This bill is the worst of both worlds," said Vic Toews, the Conservative Party's justice critic."The way the bill is drafted it will encourage youths to traffic. This is custom-made for low-level trafficking for kids.""It certainly doesn't win any points with us," said Sophie Roux, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Professional Police Association, which represents 54,000 officers."We think it should be delayed. We don't think it should go ahead. . . . We're going to fight it."The changes, made after a special parliamentary committee held public hearings on the bill last fall, include tougher penalties for trafficking.Canadians caught with four to 25 plants would face a maximum fine of $25,000 and up to 18 months in jail as a summary offence. But police would also have the discretion to make it an indictable offence, carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Someone caught with 26 to 50 plants would face up to 10 years in prison.The legislation targets big grow operations: The proposed maximum penalty doubles to 14 years, from the current seven, the sentence for possession of more than 50 marijuana plants.The cannabis bill is among 18 introduced by Mr. Martin or reinstated from the final mandate of former prime minister Jean Chrétien.They include the Jean Chrétien Pledge to Africa Act, a bill to help make patented drugs available to poor countries more cheaply; a bill to create a national sex-offender registry; another that sets out rules for assisted human reproduction; and legislation to toughen the definition of child pornography.Note: Marijuana Bill Targets Trafficking, Not Simple PossessionSource: Globe and Mail (Canada)Author: Kim LunmanPublished: Monday, February 16, 2004 - Page A8 Copyright: 2004 The Globe and Mail CompanyContact: letters globeandmail.caWebsite: http://www.globeandmail.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmOttawa Reintroduces Pot Possession Billhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18334.shtmlRevamped Marijuana Bill Could Pass http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18292.shtml
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