Pubdate: Thu, 30 Jan 2003
Source: Clinton News-Record (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003 Clinton News-Record
Contact:  http://www.clintonnewsrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1725
Author: Matt Shurrie

STECKLE OPPOSED TO MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Huron-Bruce MP Paul Steckle will not support decriminalization of marijuana 
should it come forward in the House of Commons this year.

While decriminalization was not on the agenda on Monday when MPs returned 
to the House of Commons -- most of the debate concerned a possible war with 
Iraq -- Steckle said he expects to hear more about the topic later this year.

"How can I, as a member of Parliament hearing these kinds of things and 
knowing what it's doing to young people, advocate for legalization?" 
Steckle said in a recent interview. "Decriminalizing would be like me 
saying you can have one gun and two bullets and you're not a criminal but 
if you have five bullets and two guns then you are a criminal.

"It's a big story and a big subject and I'll have a lot of people come to 
me and say what's wrong with your head because they're not going to like my 
position."

A Senate committee on illegal drugs sparked the debate last September when 
they recommended that cannabis be legalized. The committee also suggested 
the government should wipe clean the records of anyone convicted of 
marijuana possession.

"That we should be even looking at decriminalization of marijuana is going 
to lead us into all kinds of problems," Steckle said. "We can make the very 
best of arguments as to why we shouldn't create more criminals in the 
courts because of marijuana but one needs to look at someone who has the 
experience and the background of what marijuana does to a person."

Steckle questioned the effectiveness of marijuana for medicinal purposes 
saying if it was so effective why haven't the drug companies and 
pharmaceutical companies picked up the fight. He also questioned the 15 per 
cent THC levels present in today's marijuana -- a far cry from the three 
per cent that used to be present.

"The main source for U.S. marijuana today is Canada -- decriminalization or 
legalization would only make it worse," Steckle said. "What message are we 
sending to our children (if we legalize)? This is not the kind of message 
that we want to give to our children."
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens