Pubdate: Sun, 08 Sep 2002
Source: Quesnel Cariboo Observer (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Quesnel Cariboo Observer
Contact:  http://www.quesnelobserver.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1260
Author: Neil Horner
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm

SENATE REPORT NEEDS ACTION

What do you think the chances are that Canadian legislators will take heed 
of the Canadian Senate's recommendations to completely legalize the 
possession of marijuana?

Pretty slim, in our opinion, and that's too bad.

The Senate said marijuana should be legalized, regulated and taxed in 
Canada, citing the enormous damage done by the laws that currently make it 
a criminal offence to possess it. Rather than making the situation better, 
they said, the current prohibition has done great harm by criminalizing the 
estimated one million regular marijuana users and providing a lucrative 
product for the forces of organized crime.

"Canadians from every walk of life told us loud and clear that we should 
not be imposing criminal records on users or unduly prohibiting personal 
use of cannabis," the Senate report said. The report also called for 
amnesty to be granted to the 600,000 Canadians who have wound up with 
criminal records because of being busted for pot possession.

However, for the Liberal government to take the appropriate action 
recommended in the Senate report would require more political courage than 
the current administration seems to possess. Quite apart from fearing they 
will look like they condone drug use, the federal government knows that the 
Americans under George W. Bush would frown very heavily indeed upon 
legalization of marijuana. We doubt they have the cojones to do what has to 
be done.

As a result, Canadian taxpayers will continue to shell out the estimated 
$700 million to $1 billion in policing and court costs to investigate, 
arrest and prosecute people who choose to utilize a substance that is far 
less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco, both of which are fully legal.

And organized crime will continue to get rich, just as they did during the 
alcohol prohibition days.
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