Pubdate: Wed, 18 Jun 2003
Source: Didsbury Review, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003 The Didsbury Review
Contact:  http://didsburyreview.awna.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2381
Author: Myron Thompson

WHAT ARE THE LIBERAL'S SMOKING?

I, as your Member of Parliament for Wild Rose, express my disappointment at 
the Liberal Government's recent introduction of Bill C-38, which would 
decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. The ticket 
threshold would be 15 grams and police officers would have the option of 
pursuing a summary conviction or a criminal charge between 15 and 30 grams.

The Canadian Alliance has serious reservations about the bill, as does many 
police officers. The Liberals have set the effective decriminalization 
threshold at 30 grams, throwing the door open to greater marijuana use in 
Canada with little thought to the message being sent continued the Canadian 
Alliance MP.

Stiffer fines and jail terms for the massive problem of marijuana growing 
operations are needed. With no set mandatory minimum sentences, penalties 
will still be given at the discretion of judges. In some cases maximum 
penalties for growing marijuana have actually been reduced.

The Canadian Alliance has also called for mechanisms to ensure that the 
streets are safe from people driving under the influence of drugs.

Without effective roadside assessment capabilities, there would be more 
drug-impaired drivers getting behind the wheel with no concrete way to 
detect them. Many police forces share the same concern, they worry there is 
no machine to detect driver drug use. This legislation is great news for 
organized crime, since, as our Health Minister predicted, demand is likely 
to go up while the only sources for marijuana remain illegal.

Myron Thompson is the Member of Parliment for Wild Rose.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom