Canada to do something the U.S. can't or won't do?

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2002-09-05 11:31am

Salon.com

Canadian panel wants legal marijuana

- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Tom Cohen

Sept. 4, 2002 | TORONTO (AP) -- A parliamentary committee called for legalizing marijuana use among adults, increasing pressure on the government to shift drug laws away from the zero-tolerance policy of the United States.

The report by the Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs recommended that Canada adopt a system that regulates marijuana the same way as alcohol, and expunge criminal records for marijuana possession.

"There is no good reason to subject the consumers of cannabis to the application of criminal law," said Sen. Pierre Nolin of the Progressive Conservative party. "In a free society as ours, it's up to the individual to decide whether to consume cannabis or not."

While not binding, the report will force Prime Minister Jean Chretien's Liberal Party to explain what provisions it accepts or rejects and why.

Under current law, marijuana possession is illegal in Canada. Last year, the government passed regulations allowing eligible medical patients to grow and possess marijuana, but has yet to create a distribution network.

Anti-drug groups in the United States say liberalizing Canadian drug laws would increase access to illegal drugs in the United States.

Nolin, chairman of the Senate committee, said the panel concluded no evidence existed that marijuana was a "gateway" drug leading to the use of harder drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

"Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue," he said.

Another member, Colin Kenny of the Liberal Party, said the 600-page report had the committee's unanimous support.

The government would avoid encouraging marijuana use, just as it refrains from encouraging alcohol consumption, Nolin said.

"No one on the committee wants to see an increase in the use of cannabis," Kenny said.

Without directly mentioning the United States, Nolin said the committee's recommendations would be palatable to important allies and trade partners.

"Our relationships with our friends are solid enough to work out the implications of what we are doing," he said.

Eight U.S. states have taken some kind of step toward permitting the medicinal use of marijuana. But the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that there is no exception in federal law for people to use marijuana.

I've never even tried marijuana but I do think it is a waste of time and resources to continue to keep it illegal. Hopefully Canada will follow through with this report and make it legal. Then perhaps the U.S. will do the same.

Post by **weemadando** » 2002-09-05 11:39am

Woo! Legalised pot! And I hold Canadian citizenship. Though, marijuana is easily available wherever the hell in the world you are.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2002-09-05 11:50am

Ive never tried it either. I dont have a problem with it being legal. I just hate the smell of marijauna though. So I would not mind if they made it only legal to smoke at home.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2002-09-05 11:50am

Go Canada! I always figured they'd legalize before we do, anyway. There's no reason whatsoever to keep marijuana illegal, unless you'd like to argue that alcohol and tobacco should be outlawed too, in which case you're a nanny-state buttinski and I already dislike you. I just hope the howler monkeys in the DEA and like minded organizations in this country don't fling so much poo that Canada backs off.

Totenkopf · Post by **Totenkopf** » 2002-09-05 02:26pm

An interesting angle on the marijuana vs alcohol argument that I once heard was this:

If alcohol had only been discovered 20 years ago, it would now be an illegal drug.

oberon · Post by **oberon** » 2002-09-05 02:33pm

weemadando wrote:Woo! Legalised pot! And I hold Canadian citizenship. Though, marijuana is easily available wherever the hell in the world you are.

Except the Upper Peninsula!

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2002-09-05 07:07pm

This was all over the media yesterday and today, they can't seem to shut up about it. The police chief wasn't happy, saying stuff about it being a gateway drug, and how it was sending the wrong message to kids. Whatever, it's about time they legalized pot I say, and get people properly educated on it instead of having the same old anto-drug propaganda they've been spewing for the past 50 years.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2002-09-05 08:00pm

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Marijuana decriminalization is coming in America, probably within the next 10 to 20 years. It's inevitable.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2002-09-05 08:05pm

Durran Korr wrote:I wouldn't worry about it too much. Marijuana decriminalization is coming in America, probably within the next 10 to 20 years. It's inevitable.

Not while John Asscroft and his Gestapo are in power.

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2002-09-05 08:21pm

Lucky it seems the voters are smarting up there are several storys floating around the Asscroft is getting the boot if Bush gets re-elected and a few more shows that while people like Bush

They don't like him as thier Preisdent so prehaps we will at last be rid of the one who intellgence forgot

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2002-09-05 09:14pm

It all depends on the economy.

Anyway, even the pot-smokers in Congress are for keeping illegal. Besides, so many people use it in America, it wouldn't make a difference if it was legal or not, except if it was legal, we'd free up prison space.

Raziel · Post by **Raziel** » 2002-09-05 10:52pm

aerius wrote:This was all over the media yesterday and today, they can't seem to shut up about it. The police chief wasn't happy, saying stuff about it being a gateway drug, and how it was sending the wrong message to kids. Whatever, it's about time they legalized pot I say, and get people properly educated on it instead of having the same old anto-drug propaganda they've been spewing for the past 50 years.

The police association is against it because they're afraid that without pot-heads and dealers to bust they won't be as in demand. Let's face it, petty drug offences are one of the most common criminal charges laid by the police, and in the States a disturbing percentage of the prison population is made up of people who's worst offence was possessing a gram or two of pot.

Luckily most actual police officers are completely for legalising pot, and they've said as much. They'd rather spend time busting up organised crime and catching rapists and thieves than locking up kids and old hippies for toking.

Let's look at it this way. Chronic alcohol use destroys your liver and kills you. Chronic pot use makes you stupid, at worst. Alcohol sure isn't illegal.

Alferd Packer · Post by **Alferd Packer** » 2002-09-05 11:09pm

Eh. Whenever I smell weed I always think the same thing.

"Guess somebody forgot to do their shirt laundry."

Enlightenment · Post by **Enlightenment** » 2002-09-07 05:04pm

Durran Korr wrote:I wouldn't worry about it too much. Marijuana decriminalization is coming in America, probably within the next 10 to 20 years. It's inevitable.

If you think that, you must be smoking something strong enough to be illegal. The American federal political process is so dominated by reactionary lunatics that the chance of any progressive legislation becoming law in the next thousand years is exactly 0.00%. Congress isn't going to give up any of the lovely money they currently get from the 'war on drugs' industry just for the sake of improving society.

Subnormal · Post by **Subnormal** » 2002-09-07 05:27pm

Umm, I remember A lot of people complaining about how if Marijuana was legalized it would raise the crime rate, as persons would steal and so on so they could go to sheetz and get a cart load, but isn't that what some people already do for Ciggerettes. If you think about it, if it's legal there will probably be ten times more then there already is, so the cost according to demand and supply would be extremely low. And as pot grows pretty quickly and easily I assume that more people would be gardenning instead of buying it anyway. Id say we just incorporate the laws we have now against idiotic things that people do while drunk, and make pot smoking a strickly an inhome use only policy. I can't see why it would hurt anyone. Probably even do good for the economy.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » 2002-09-08 03:46am

countdooku wrote:Umm, I remember A lot of people complaining about how if Marijuana was legalized it would raise the crime rate, as persons would steal and so on so they could go to sheetz and get a cart load, but isn't that what some people already do for Ciggerettes. If you think about it, if it's legal there will probably be ten times more then there already is, so the cost according to demand and supply would be extremely low. And as pot grows pretty quickly and easily I assume that more people would be gardenning instead of buying it anyway. Id say we just incorporate the laws we have now against idiotic things that people do while drunk, and make pot smoking a strickly an inhome use only policy. I can't see why it would hurt anyone. Probably even do good for the economy.

[Kosh]
Yes.
[/Kosh]

The social and health issues associated with drug use are exacerbated by criminilisation, not improved:
[ul]
[*]Seeking help means running the risk of being brought up on drug charges. So people don't seek help.
[*]Education on safe practices is frowned upon. So people aren't educated on the dangers, or on safe practices
[*]The lack of regulation means purity and so forth is uncontrolled. So people have no idea what they are actually buying, and can get severely injured or even killed because of it
[*]Criminalisation means there are no legal means of distribution. So users have no choice but to interact with the black market.
[*]Money which could be funneled into government coffers via taxation is instead funnelled into criminal organisations
[*]Dealers get into drugs because there is money in it. How many big alcohol or cigarette smuggling busts have you seen lately?
[/ul]

One of my favourite tactics is to ask 'zero-tolerance' nuts if they thought the Prohibition proved to be of social benefit. (The ones who answer 'yes' are at least consistent. Stupid. But consistent.)

Legalisation, with an appopriate regulatory system (ala cigarettes and alcohol - no supply to people under 18, laws resticting sale and places of consumption, don't operate machinery or cars while fucked off your head, etc), and support structures (for dealing with addiction, and associated problems), is a much better idea.