cannabisnews.com: Too Many Pot Busts Too Many Pot Busts Posted by CN Staff on February 25, 2004 at 07:10:32 PT Commentary Source: Globe and Mail Public attitudes about the use of marijuana have undergone a substantial shift, to the point where personal use of the drug in small quantities is seen as relatively harmless, and certainly not a criminal act requiring the full force of the justice system.The justice system doesn't reflect this, however, for the simple reason that even the possession of a small amount of marijuana is still a crime. In fact, according to a recent Statistics Canada study, criminal cases involving marijuana possession have actually increased during the past decade. StatsCan said in a report released on Monday that the number of drug-related incidents reported by the police has risen by 42 per cent since 1992 and now stands at a 20-year high. The cannabis-related offence rate climbed by about 80 per cent in the period from 1992 to 2002, an increase that was largely due to a rise in cases of marijuana possession. The number of trafficking charges actually declined in that period.In 2002, three-quarters of drug cases involved marijuana and more than 70 per cent of them involved possession. Of 93,000 incidents reported in that year under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, about two-thirds involved possession. The rest dealt with trafficking, importation and production. The study also suggests that young adults feel the major brunt of our marijuana laws. Those between the ages of 18 and 24 had the highest drug-related offence rate in 2002 for incidents involving marijuana, followed by those between the ages of 12 and 17. Police forces are justifiably concerned about some of the negative effects of the marijuana trade, such as the involvement of organized crime in production and distribution of the drug, and some of the related criminal behaviour that surrounds that activity. But surely that is what deserves to feel the full brunt of criminal prosecution, and not the simple possession of a few grams of marijuana.Many marijuana decriminalization advocates have pointed out that fewer dollars spent on cases of simple possession should mean more money to pursue the real criminals, and would also mean fewer young adults being introduced to the criminal justice system at a relatively innocent age.Bill C-10, which is currently being debated in the House of Commons, would make possession of small amounts of marijuana a civil offence rather than a criminal one, subject to fines rather than prosecution. Trafficking and production of large amounts would remain crimes. Parliament should pass the bill and remove the gap between the justice system and the attitudes of the public it serves. Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)Published: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - Page A22 Copyright: 2004 The Globe and Mail CompanyContact: letters globeandmail.caWebsite: http://www.globeandmail.com/Related Articles:Pot Busts Jump Despite Decriminalization Intenthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18392.shtmlFew Drug Users Going To Jail, Statscan Finds http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18386.shtmlHow To Stop Grow-ops? Legalize Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18373.shtmlJustice Hunter Favours Legalization of Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18348.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #17 posted by afterburner on February 28, 2004 at 00:50:19 PT: The Canadian Cannabis Debate Continues CN AB: Edu: Marijuana Bill Draws Criticism 26 Feb 2004 The Meliorist http://www.mapinc.org/newscc/v04/n340/a05.html?397 [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Patrick on February 26, 2004 at 07:08:14 PT More on Power & Control I see in other news that Howard Stern is basically being censored. Jamal Lewis is being indicted for being involved in a "conversation about drugs" four years ago. Anybody else get the feeling there is a major clamp down on freedom??? What's next? Burning books in the street ala Nazi Germany? Maybe a Department of Homeland Thought Police? [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by Patrick on February 26, 2004 at 06:45:45 PT Universer I agree "It is unAmerican to prohibit individual liberties to the extent that the current administration has."And as further proof - Bush also wants to amend our 228-year-old constitution to BAN gay marriages. That goes against everything I was ever taught about what the constitution is and isn't. I think it is all about power and control and this administration is drunk with both. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by Universer on February 25, 2004 at 18:36:17 PT Page 60 on the Drug War Board on JohnKerry.com Though I recognize the extreme importance of many issues, perhaps one which seems to be insidious in its capacity to have a play in almost every other issue is that of drug reform. Relics of the Nixon era, the current U.S. drug laws, statistics demonstrate, do much more harm than good, and it was President Carter who publicly inferred that drug laws should not do more harm than the drugs themselves.The reasons for repealing the prohibition of soft drugs, specifically cannabis, are legion and multi-faceted, and need not be delved into via this particular posting. As one who wishes to see Bush out of office, I may very well find myself voting for Kerry (though Kucinich has long been my favorite). I certainly hope that if Senator Kerry becomes President Kerry, he will use some influence during his tenure to repeal the dangerous, costly, ineffectual marijuana prohibition laws, giving us instead commonsensical legislation which is more commensurate with the nature of the cannabis plant itself.As an aside, if one wishes to educate oneself about the coverage of marijuana-related legislation worldwide, a very informative and even-handed website is http://www.cannabis.com. One quickly learns how very backward many of our preconceived notions about marijuana truly are. You are reading the words of one who formerly accepted the "Just Say No" propaganda without question. Once questioned, however, those walls fell with alarming regularity, and I feel much more confident that I see things as they truly are -- which is to suggest that the current administration, for whatever reasons, does not.It is unAmerican to prohibit individual liberties to the extent that the current administration has. I hope that then-President Kerry can help to reverse the unAmerican trend through which we have been going. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by afterburner on February 25, 2004 at 16:04:05 PT: Questions That Need to Be Asked Time to get off the pot? Hamilton Spectator editorial by Kevin Cavanagh - February 25, 2004 "Is it time, once and for all, to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana? Is it really a criminal concern, or a misdemeanour? "Some new figures may clear the haze from the real issue here. In 2002, Canadian police laid 50,000 charges for possession (no trafficking) of pot. The age group most charged: 18 to 24. Next came youths 12 to 17."Meanwhile, in Ontario, our courts are so choked that nearly 100,000 cases of all kind have gone unheard for eight months or more. They may be thrown out altogether because the system can't get to them."Don't count on political leadership for what is a third-rail issue. Canadians have to ask themselves: Does it make sense to spend our police and justice resources prosecuting small amounts of pot, when our systems don't have time to tackle violent crimes like robbery and sexual assault?"No easy answer here, but it's one our political leaders need to hear." [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Cannabis Enthusiast on February 25, 2004 at 10:06:53 PT Prohibitionist girlfriend I can't smoke weed because my girlfriend has only her name on the lease for the apartment and my credit is so bad I can't get my name on the lease.:-( [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on February 25, 2004 at 10:02:49 PT kaptinemo about hysterical That sure is a great word for the way some react to this medicinal plant. Maybe everyone should smoke it at least once and there might not be as much hysteria in the world! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by kaptinemo on February 25, 2004 at 09:55:22 PT: A step is still a step As much as I am suspicious of the machinations behind the Canuck decrim bill, it *is* a start in the right direction. We can't expect those whose only exposure to this matter is what they've been told by antis to suddenly suffer a *satori* and leap onto our bandwagon. But they are at least approaching this from a 'harm reduction' framing.When the basic unworkability of the possess=okay/grow=prison sections of the bill become obvious, the remaining offending clauses of the bill will be swept away in subsequent legislation. Both we and the antis are aware of this; hence you can expect them to get *really* hysterical just before its' passage.Depending upon how soon Parliament passes the bill, Canada could find a windfall of tourism coming it's way in time for Summer Break. Another addition to the 'trade deficit' issue 'War'-shington has only itself to blame for... [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on February 25, 2004 at 09:50:56 PT afterburner That's the Spirit! Battle On!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on February 25, 2004 at 09:49:58 PT goneposthole I understand about being tuckered out. That I am. What keeps me going is I remember how things went when they decriminalized Cannabis in our state back in the late 70s. I thought it was wonderful back then and assumed soon the whole USA would have a good law and all would be well. That didn't happen. Now here we are all these years later and once again victory is in sight. Should we assume we will win or remember that the battle isn't over and the victory can't be celebrated until the fat lady sings? [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by goneposthole on February 25, 2004 at 09:37:41 PT just tuckered out not cooling off.the drug war is petering out, also. It's plain to see. Everyday, folks rise from their slumber to do the dreaded drudgery of prosecuting an ill-fated doom. Money has been spent to no end. The spigot is about to start dripping drops, looks like to me.I suppose all of the cannabis users in the US could be rounded up and taken to concentration camps. Put them to work for a while until they are wearied and weak. I suppose that could be done. Twenty million or so slaves to work hard labor along with all of the others currently in prison. life would be a joy for those on the ourside of the prison walls and concentration camps. The intimidating presence of a State system that can enslave you will have an effect on your behavior. The State has become a ruthless killer.It could work for a while until people wise up to the fact that it could be them. The drugwar will be over because people will tire of it, not because the government wants to stop it. The State will never get the message as long as it pays for them.All of the 'cooling off' is because the drug war is a complete failure, not because the effort to squash the antics of prohibitionists has failed. They'll never get it.Alcohol prohibition was practice for cannabis prohibition, I suppose. The last gasp was pre-ordained by alcohol prohibition.The zenith of the movement has passed, for sure. Not because of lack of interest, but because people have wearied and worn and torn and been heartbroke and brokenspirited.You can't fault people for trying.Even if nothing is realized, the work done for the right cause is still all worth it.You can't 'clear cut' prohibition, it must be uprooted. I think that has been done. No one has taken notice... yet. Just too tuckered out to see the forest for the trees.I think it's over... the government knows it, but wants to keep the fact hidden.That great big wad of billions of bucks is gone and there is nothing to show for it except a ruined country. Nice job, politicians and bureaucrats... look at what you've done... just look and see the ungodly ugliness of it all; that is all there is left to do. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by afterburner on February 25, 2004 at 09:37:19 PT: It's a Small Confused Step... but one that seems to ruffle the feathers of US prohibitionists like John P. Walters. It's a small battle in the war for cannabis liberation. Until sufficient political pressure is brought to bear on Parliament, this flawed law seems to offer a slight hope for eventual acceptance of cannabis by the PTB. Battle on, Cannabians! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on February 25, 2004 at 09:23:49 PT afterburner I feel so bad for you and Canada. I know that the Bill will soon be law. I really care but I don't know how to say how I feel very well. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by afterburner on February 25, 2004 at 09:14:18 PT: Decrim...Passed Second Reading The reign of error gives way to terror JOHN IBBITSON Today's Paper: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 12:00 AM Page A23 "The political tumbrels rolled past Parliament Hill, yesterday, the heads came off -- chop, chop, chop -- the blood flowed and will continue to flow tomorrow. And the worst, perhaps, has passed for the Liberal government. FULL STORY http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040225/COIBBI25//?query=marijuana "excerpt: "For the Liberals, however, there is at least one compensating factor in this debacle. Other potential controversies are going unnoticed.For example, the legislation to decriminalize marijuana possession passed second reading in the House, last night. It should be law within a few weeks. And nobody can even bother to care any more." [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on February 25, 2004 at 07:44:50 PT breeze Thank you! I haven't posted on Kerry's board but have it bookmarked and read it. Are they really wanting to talk about cannabis and not all drugs? I have to scan thru posts to find the ones on Cannabis but I do and that isn't a problem but a cannabis topic would be wonderful. I'll check it out when I have a little more time. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by afterburner on February 25, 2004 at 07:38:02 PT: Baaah Is anybody buying this weak half-measure?"Police forces are justifiably concerned about some of the negative effects of the marijuana trade, such as the involvement of organized crime in production and distribution of the drug, and some of the related criminal behaviour that surrounds that activity. But surely that is what deserves to feel the full brunt of criminal prosecution, and not the simple possession of a few grams of marijuana."If police forces were really concerned about "involvement of organized crime in production and distribution of ... marijuana," they would be encouraging the government to develop licensing to regulate and tax production and distribution of a legal supply of cannabis for medicine, for aid in spiritual and religious meditation and guidance, and for improving social interaction among peoples. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by breeze on February 25, 2004 at 07:31:16 PT A call to serve... While reading some of the recent comments posted about the WOD on John Kerry's web site, the moderators request 100 more pages on the topic of legalization of cannibis for it too become an issue on Kerry's plate.Well- I guess I will make the obvious known- Recruit others to bombard this board with talk about the aspects of cannabis, the need to end the WOD, and just about anything related to the subject.Recruit others to do this as well- there are members on the site complaing that the subject is cooling off, and they are correct. It doesn't need to be any great lengthy essay or the like, but just bombarding the board with talk about the issues certainly couldn't hurt. Unfortunately, this may feel like spamming- but it is not. This is apparently how things are accomplished with these people.If you need the addy , here it is:http://forum.johnkerry.com//index.php?showtopic=525This is actually just as important as voting on the issue to a degree, as it is the only way to get the issue on the front page of his site. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment