cannabisnews.com: White House Complains About Canada's Pot Policies White House Complains About Canada's Pot Policies Posted by CN Staff on September 17, 2004 at 13:09:19 PT By The Canadian Press Source: Canadian Press Washington -- An annual White House report on countries with drug problems says Canada's relatively lax penalties for marijuana producers and moves toward decriminalizing pot could be an "invitation" to organized crime that hinders police and prosecutors. Canada isn't on the president's list of 22 major illicit drug-producing and transit countries, which includes Mexico and some South American countries that supply the vast majority of drugs to the United States. But the report cited Canada's "lack of significant judicial sanctions against marijuana producers" and marijuana reform legislation as troublesome. "We are now working intensively with Canadian authorities to address the increase in the smuggling of Canadian-produced marijuana into the United States," said a White House release. The report noted the Canada, in turn, has expressed concern about the flow of cocaine and other illegal substances from the U.S.. "The two governments will continue to work closely in the year ahead to confront these shared threats," said the release. Officials in President George W. Bush's administration have long complained that Canadian regulations, which allow marijuana use for medical purposes, are increasing the pot problem. Under the federal marijuana medical access regulation, Canadians can be authorized to grow, possess and use marijuana. A recent federal initiative to decriminalize marijuana died on the order paper prior to the June 28 federal election. Police say more pot plants are seized in Quebec and British Columbia than any other province. They cite increased production because demand has risen. Complete Title: White House Complains About Canada's Pot Policies in Annual ReportSource: Canadian PressPublished: September 17, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Canadian PressCannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmCannabisNews -- Canada Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/Canada.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by afterburner on September 23, 2004 at 09:22:38 PT Oops, US Medical Tests Invade Canada Unrelated: Two from the Toronto StarRoving medical tests offered by U.S. firm Sep. 23, 2004. 06:05 AM http://tinyurl.com/5rll2Human interest to warm your heart:Sep. 23, 2004. 11:11 AM -- Acts of kindness stories -- THESTAR.COM STAFF http://tinyurl.com/47pdr [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by lombar on September 19, 2004 at 00:31:51 PT oops.. I erred in my last post: I was thinking US policy when I was trying to relate Canadian policy ;) The word "unilateralism" should be "multilateralism"...the old fox Cretien wisely kept Canada out of the latest war. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by lombar on September 18, 2004 at 20:58:00 PT Dear USA citizen, please take your country back!!! A country/administration that has engaged in an illegal war that has caused the deaths of many thousands of people has no right to tell Canada, who supports unilateralism and world ORDER, how to run itself. Sadly, I fear that canadian politicians will be cowardly and knuckle under. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by afterburner on September 18, 2004 at 08:11:23 PT LTE: Matt Elrod Canada: PUB LTE: 'Vansterdam' Revisited by Matthew M. Elrod, (16 Sep 2004) National Post Canada http://www.mapinc.org/newscc/v04/n1325/a05.html?397 excerpt:' Leaving aside the proven therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids, several studies have confirmed that cannabis, alcohol and other psychotropic substances are economic substitutes with cross-price elasticities. When cannabis use goes up, alcohol and other "hard" drug use goes down, resulting in a net decrease in fetal alcohol syndrome, traffic accidents, addiction, disease, violence, crime, overdose deaths and medical emergencies. ' [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by DeVoHawk on September 17, 2004 at 17:47:30 PT More Truth Cannabis Prohibition an "invitation" to organized crime. Perhaps that will be in next years report? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Max Flowers on September 17, 2004 at 16:16:58 PT The whole truth - An annual White House report on countries with drug problems says Canada's relatively lax penalties for marijuana producers and moves toward decriminalizing pot could be an "invitation" to organized crime that hinders police and prosecutors. - Police and prosecutors should not even be wasting precious tax dollars and time pursuing anything to do with pot. Evidently they need to be constantly reminded that there are far more serious crimes against people such as theft, robbery, rape, murder, etc. which are far more important for them to concentrate on. Most "marijuana crimes" are not crimes at all---they are victimless, consensual activities that do not qualify as crime in any real sense, and every MINUTE and every DOLLAR that these so-called public servants WASTE pursuing cannabis "crimes" are minutes and dollars that could have been used to go after perpetrators of REAL crimes against persons or property. And those losses *are* crimes, and are grevious insults to victims of real crimes whose cases get less (or no) attention due to the infantile distraction of pursuing peaceful, plant-loving citizens. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment