Pubdate: Sun, 11 May 2003 Source: London Free Press (CN ON) Copyright: 2003 The London Free Press a division of Sun Media Corporation. Contact: http://www.fyilondon.com/londonfreepress/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/243 Author: Bill Rodgers, Free Press Parliamentary Bureau Chief Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) SOFTER MARIJUANA LAW OPPOSED OTTAWA -- Two influential lobby groups say the Chretien government is putting the cart before the horse in its rush to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Justice Minister Martin Cauchon is to introduce the legislation, along with a national drug strategy, as early as Tuesday, a senior official has told Sun Media. "We're very concerned that decriminalization will be perceived, especially by our young people, as legalization. Even though that's not really what's happening, it's the public perception and yet Parliament hasn't dealt with the whole drugs and driving issue," said Andrew Murie, the executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). A survey of Ontario high school students by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health showed 20 per cent of students drove a vehicle within two hours of using cannabis, while 15 per cent drove after drinking alcohol. David Griffin, the executive officer of the Canadian Police Association, said: "Kids are getting a message time and time again from our elected officials that smoking marijuana is not a big deal. Yet their parents and everybody else is trying to encourage them to make healthy choices. "What we're seeing is a political rush to introduce legislation. Police officers don't have the tools to deal with such issues as impaired driving by drugs and we're seeing more problems with marijuana in our schools than we are with alcohol." - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager