cannabisnews.com: Prime Minister Urged To Delay Marijuana Bill Prime Minister Urged To Delay Marijuana Bill Posted by CN Staff on February 24, 2004 at 11:54:43 PT Press Release Source: Canada NewsWire Ottawa -- In an open letter to Prime Minister Paul Martin, the country's top police associations, a pre-eminent victims' rights organization and the national union representing customs officers called on the Prime Minister to delay the passage of the new marijuana legislation until countermeasures are in place to safeguard Canadians' health and safety. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), the Canadian Professional Police Association (CPPA), the Canadian Association of Police Boards (CAPB), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada) and Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise (CEUDA) stated that the Government's current initiative of loosening possession laws for marijuana 'will come at a high price for our society.' Here are the key concerns expressed by the groups: Edgar MacLeod, CACP President states: "With Bill C-10 this government is "putting the cart before the horse. We need a National Drug Strategy that encourages collaboration and active involvement of the federal government, provinces and territories, and municipalities. The current drug strategy falls far short of that goal. The strategy is not adequately funded and in most cases the funding and the tools, are not currently in place." Andrew Murie, National Executive Director of MADD Canada states: "The Government is aware of legislation that will keep roads safe from drug- impaired drivers. Police need the authority to detect and charge drug impaired drivers. Effective safeguards should be in place before we make marijuana easily accessible to the public, and particularly to young motorists, who are already over-represented in impaired driving crashes and fatalities." Tony Cannavino, CPPA President states: "The marijuana bill is sending the wrong message to Canadians, particularly our young people. We have serious concerns about the booming marijuana grow-op industry. We need tools and training for police to deal with drug impaired drivers. We need to retain police discretion to lay criminal charges for marijuana possession when circumstances warrant. There are serious issues about Canada's borders. We are urging Prime Minister Martin to listen to police and victims, and reject this bill until these problems have been corrected." Edward W. Keyes, CAPB President states: "It is imperative that adequate programs be put in place before legislation to decriminalize marijuana is enacted, to educate young people and their parents about the adverse effects of illicit drug use and to enable an integrated approach to prevention, enforcement, treatment, rehabilitation and research. We share the concerns of MADD Canada and our policing partners in this regard." Ron Moran, CEUDA National President states: "With the growing and misguided impression that Canada is fast becoming the Amsterdam of North America, travelers must expect longer wait times at the border if this bill is adopted". The open letter to the Prime Minister listed all the above concerns and can be consulted at http://www.cppa-acpp.ca under "What's new". The CACP, CPPA, CAPB and MADD Canada all opposed Bill C-38, the federal government's previous decriminalization legislation. They were also unified in presenting Justice Canada with legislative solutions for a potential drug-impaired driving Bill.For further information: Sophie Roux, Communications Officer, CPPA, (613) 231-4168; Andrew Murie, Executive Director, MADD Canada, 1-800-665-6233, ext. 224; Erik Lupien, Communications Officer, CEUDA, (613) 723-8008, ext. 318Complete Title: Police, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Customs Officers Urge the Prime Minister of Canada to Delay Marijuana Bill Source: Canada NewsWire (Canada)Published: February 24, 2004Copyright: 2004 Canada NewsWire Ltd.Contact: cnw newswire.caWebsite: http://www.newswire.ca/ Related Articles:Group Wants Pot Tests for Loaded Drivershttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17727.shtmlMADD, Police Groups Slam Proposed Pot Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17722.shtmlAlcohol Impairs Driving More Than Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12299.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #12 posted by FoM on February 25, 2004 at 09:13:19 PT Nuevo Mexican: Way To Go Dennis!!! I just heard that Dennis did well in Hawaii! That's great. I want him to have a very important position in Kerry's Administration. ( I'm thinking positive ) THANK YOU, HAWAII!Kucinich 2nd with 30% in Hawaii PrimaryFebruary 25, 2004http://kucinich.us/The results from yesterday's primary are in, and Dennis placed 2nd in the Hawaii primary with 30% of the vote. This gives him 8 of Hawaii's 20 unpledged delegates, who will go to the national convention in Boston in July. In Maui, Dennis won with 50% of the vote. In other primaries yesterday, Dennis took 7% of the vote in Utah and 6% in Idaho.http://starbulletin.com/breaking/breaking.php?id=2408 [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by afterburner on February 24, 2004 at 23:19:03 PT: Action - Reaction Canada: Drug-Related Crime Spikes 24 Feb 2004 Winnipeg Sun http://www.mapinc.org/newscc/v04/n327/a11.html?397Do the 2002 Statscan figures support decriminalizing, legalizing or incarceration? [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by ekim on February 24, 2004 at 21:49:51 PT Thursday, February 26 Man tonight Larry King was at his best. He was standing against those who were judging others. I wish that Larry could interview someone from the Cannabis commuinity. maybe he can work in a Cannabis question on ThursdayThursday, February 26 http://www.kucinich.us/schedule.phpLos Angeles, California 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. PT CNN/LA Times Debate Bovard Auditorium USC 3551 Trousdale Parkway Larry King moderating with Ron Brownstein and Janet Clayton of the LA Times Broadcast on CNN, CNN en espaņol and CNN International [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by lilgrasshoppah77 on February 24, 2004 at 21:08:18 PT: Don't forget DAMM! Mother's Against Dyslexia....You would have to be (ethically and morally) dyslexic to support cannabis prohibition! [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by JSM on February 24, 2004 at 17:41:14 PT Change This genie is out of the bottle and all the king's horses and all the king's men can not put it back. How long will it take is the only revelant question. Even in West Virgina they can not keep this drug away from 7th graders - they get it from older siblings and friends - so how can the prohibitionists possibly argue that we should continue this costly and wasteful failure. Legalization and taxation is the only possible way we have to gain control of this. We are the ones who should be shouting: "Protect the children!" - just like they did when ending alcohol prohibition. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Universer on February 24, 2004 at 17:01:47 PT Things I Look At Whenever viewing a column or newspiece, there are two things I pay attention to: the source -- whether it be a major newspaper, minor newspaper, news syndicate, or left-leaning website; and the tone -- that underlying editorial bent that even the most impartial articles seem to have.The tone of this newspiece is rather surprising to me. I don't live in Canada; I live in the United States, so I'm accustomed to harsh language in reporting. This article, however, seems to be almost apologetic in having to report that these groups have fallacious issues with the cannabis decriminalization bill.On an incidental and completely unrelated note, I am happily surprised at the resolve, based upon the Wolf Blitzer and Lou Dobbs CNN.com polls, with which people seem to disagree with the President's desire to amend the Constitution to rob more liberties from us.I constantly alternate between hope and despair. Maybe I should live in Canada. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by global_warming on February 24, 2004 at 16:34:53 PT Wait For What? "the country's top police associations, a pre-eminent victims' rights organization and the national union representing customs officers called on the Prime Minister to delay the passage of the new marijuana legislation until countermeasures are in place to safeguard Canadians' health and safety."Yes lets wait, while we continue to cage people, continue to destroy lives with a little more incarceration, a little more jail rape, a little more power, just a little bit longer...Pleeeez..The only safeguards I would be happy to see, is the dismantleing of this brutish judicial process, that all these angry power mongers covet.Happy the day, when we can come out into the streets, and breathe some fresh air, for the neighbourhood is so filled with these drug lords and their weapons.The only way we can win the "drug war" is to legalise everything, get rid of the corrupt powers that are sucking the life blood from our children and our economies.Follow the money, and you will see who is our true enemy, not the drugs, but the controllers of the drugs.-gw [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by OverwhelmSam on February 24, 2004 at 16:25:23 PT: More Hysterical Fear Mongering Oh God Please! These people have no shame. They tout fire and brimstone around simple marijuana decriminalization and then tell everyone that marijuana users are paranoid? Marijuana makes some people paranoid, but it's not the ones who use it. do we have any response to this kind of strong arming by these alarmists? [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Nuevo Mexican on February 24, 2004 at 15:45:06 PT Lou Dobbs poll: 82% say no to amendment banning Gay Marriage! This issue will make legal Cannabis look tame to the average American, and will make it a 'safe' topic now that the taboo of Gay Marriage is gone! The American people do not want discrimination written back into the Constitution!This is great news, the sheeple are waking!www.cnn.com/lou [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Nuevo Mexican on February 24, 2004 at 14:14:50 PT CNN poll: Gay Marriage Yes: 56, No: 44! Not really off topic, as Gay Marriage as an issue is no different than legalizing Cannabis, medical or recreational.This is the 'conspiracy by the Uni-verse to shift our consciouness into a more compasssionate version, that i've been predicting for some time. Thus, Gay Marriage, legal Cannabis, little difference, Millions discriminated against, marginalized, murdered, ostracized etc. So now it is back to 'States Rights' isn't it! This will divide the repugs, (as we point out their hypocrisy, Go John Kerry on this one! The Dems will follow kerrys (and Dennis the Ks') honorable lead on the issue, thank goodness!Take the poll!http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/wolf.blitzer.reports/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on February 24, 2004 at 12:24:28 PT It's a miracle.... that I'm even able to get out of bed, pick up the newspaper, and eat a bowl of cereal without ANY help from the government? How would I ever function without them protecting me and my children? Those good men should raise taxes some more right now! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by TroutMask on February 24, 2004 at 11:59:55 PT Laying down in front of a steamroller.... ...will not slow it down.-TM [ Post Comment ] Post Comment