Pubdate: Wed, 25 Sep 2002
Source: Huntsville Forester, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 The Huntsville Forester
Contact:  http://www.huntsvilleforester.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2430
Author: Tamara de la Vega

POLITICIANS HAVE PUFFED, BUT ARE UNDECIDED ON POT

Both Muskoka's provincial and federal representatives say they have tried 
marijuana but want to see more information before taking definitive sides 
on the possible legalization of it.

A senate committee has come out this month in support of the legalization 
rather than just the decriminalization of pot, but a commons committee is 
conducting further studies and their recommendations are due in November. 
"I think that we need to take a look at what those committees are saying 
and obviously one of the key issues that they need to look at is the impact 
on Canadian's health," said Parry Sound-Muskoka MP Andy Mitchell, adding 
that there is no question that it should be available for medical purposes.

"When you are specifically talking about marijuana for medical purposes, I 
think that makes a lot of sense so long as you have a physician who is 
saying 'the patient is in need of this and this will assist the patient.'" 
The push for decriminalization involves large numbers of Canadians who have 
been pegged as criminals for possession of cannabis and are unable to cross 
the border to the United States.

"I think that is one of the reasons why both the Senate and the House have 
taken a very serious look at this issue and we are reviewing it on a 
societal basis," he said.

"Society determines if the regime that is in place now is the most 
appropriate one. How it has to be changed or should it be changed, I think 
those are discussions that are taking place," added Mitchell. "I think it 
was appropriate for the Senate to do the study, I think it is very 
appropriate for the House to do a study. The Justice Minister has said that 
what he wants to do is to take a look at the results of these studies and 
then for the government to respond to those in a way that makes sense," 
said Mitchell, adding that he smoked cannabis when he was younger.

Miller on the other hand was a bit more hesitant on the issue.

"It is hard to say," said Parry Sound Muskoka MPP, Norm Miller. "Smoking is 
not good for you, so I guess smoking Marijuana is just a different 
substance you are smoking. Are we going to encourage more people to get 
lung cancer?" he questioned.

Miller did say that a breath-freshener-like pump being developed in England 
that would provide the user with Tetra Hydro Cannabanol (THC) [the 
substance that gives the high in marijuana] would be better than smoking it.

"That sounds better then smoking it. Smoking is a huge cost to the health 
system and known to cause lung cancer. I don't have strong feelings either 
way, but I don't think we should be encouraging people to use marijuana," 
he said.

Miller said he does support using marijuana for medical purposes.

"I don't have a problem with that. For medical I think it is fine. I've 
heard people talk on the radio and say that for some real chronic 
conditions it's very helpful and I have noproblem with that," he said, 
adding that yes he has smoked the drug and he even inhaled it as well.
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