Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jun 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: Jonathan Colford
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization).

MARIJUANA LAW CHANGE SMELLS LIKE BOONDOGGLE

Dear Editor

So lemme get this straight... they are replacing jail with fines for 15g or 
less... AND spending $240 million on a program to get kids to stop smoking 
it... unless they're going to crack down like meter maids and issue fines 
left and right to pay for this, I smell another Liberal boondoggle here 
(and some fat ad contracts for someone to develop the "Say no to pot" 
campaign)...

In some twisted way I think this could actually reduce consumption, because 
if the police aren't arresting kids because no one feels getting caught 
smoking a J is worth a criminal record, then they'll probably start giving 
the fines, because anyone who walks around with 15 joints can afford the 
$100 (or their daddy can).

So long as we still say doing drugs is wrong and against the law, I'm fine 
with the fines. The goal is curbing consumption, and if the fines can do 
that (whereas jail has failed), then great. If the cops aren't giving out 
the fines even, well, it's another Liberal waste of money and time.

The ad campaign idea though just cracks me up... what, Groupaction's first 
quarter results were a little low?

Yours truly, Jonathan Colford Toronto
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom