Pubdate: Sat, 21 Jan 2012 Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC) Copyright: 2012 Nanaimo Daily News Contact: http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608 Author: Madeline Bruce CONSEQUENCES FOR POT POSSESSION ARE SERIOUS In the letters debating the marijuana issue, one might have gotten the impression that pot possession is just a sort of joke, since it will be legalized, of course, any day now. Not a good thing for the youth of Nanaimo to be under this misapprehension. Whether one is for or against the legalization of pot, the facts are, according to Statistics Canada, that 58,000 Canadians were arrested for pot possession in 2010, up 14% from 2009. Canadian police continue to lay pot charges and the Tory Omnibus crime bill will significantly increase penalties for cannabis offences. It is no joke to have a criminal record. Madeline Bruce Nanaimo - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.