Pubdate: Mon, 07 Oct 2002
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2002, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyiedmonton.com/htdocs/edmsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Shane Holladay

NO RUSH TO DECRIMINALIZE POT

The Chretien government's delay for a special Commons committee report 
before rolling out pot decriminalization legislation is just a smokescreen, 
says a drug policy analyst.

"Some politicians were having cold feet about confronting the issue of 
legalization boldly," said Eugene Oscapella, a founding member of the 
Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy, and an Ottawa lawyer serving on the 
Law Reform Commission of Canada.

Last week's throne speech promised changes to Canada's drug laws, including 
the possibility of decriminalizing marijuana possession.

But House leader Don Boudria said the Liberals will wait for the November 
release of a Commons special committee report on the non-medical use of 
illegal drugs.

Given the exhaustive study on cannabis use that the Special Senate 
Committee on Illegal Drugs recently completed, there's really no need for 
more data from the Commons committee, said Oscapella.

"The Senate committee did, by far, the most thorough job when it comes to 
studying the use and effects of cannabis," Oscapella said.

The only thing the Commons report will do is offer some kind of compromise 
or political middle-ground for federal Liberals leery of legalizing pot, he 
said.

"We seem to be afraid of letting go of the criminal justice method of 
eliminating drug abuse. And, if anything, the criminal justice system has 
been an unmitigated failure."

Federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon deemed it important to wait for the 
Commons report to have every bit of information available, said a 
department spokesman.

"The minister has said he wants to look at the possibility of 
decriminalization," said Patrick Charette.

Decriminalization legislation will likely be considered early next year, 
Charette said, but added "there's no plan to legalize marijuana at this time."
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