Pubdate: Sat, 03 May 2003 Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 2003, Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: http://www.fyiottawa.com/ottsun.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329 Author: Jim Hiigel Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor, headline by newshawk OREGON DECRIMINALIZED CANNABIS Greetings from Oregon! About 28 years ago, Oregon was the first U.S. state to decriminalize cannabis. We actually still exist. The crime rate didn't increase. Drug use didn't increase. The only things that changed were that people didn't go to prison for using pot, were not burdened with a felony police record, and the courts found time to prosecute "real" criminals. Jim Hiigel Hermiston, Ore. (Sounds like a bit of an anti-climax) - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom