Pubdate: Mon, 26 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: Bill Rodgers

POT LAW OK BY TOP COP

Canada's top cop is endorsing federal legislation expected as early as 
tomorrow to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana for personal use.

RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli emphasized, however, that any 
proposed legislation to ease the country's pot laws must be accompanied by 
"a comprehensive national drug strategy."

"What we are talking about here is decriminalizing very small amounts if 
that's what's in the legislation. We still believe we need the discretion 
as police officers, in rare cases, to lay criminal charges against 
possessors of very small amounts.

"But ... we believe that we don't want to make criminals out of persons who 
have very small amounts of marijuana for their own possession," said 
Zaccardelli in an interview on CTV's Question Period yesterday.
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