Pubdate: Tue, 29 Jul 2014
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2014 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Mark Kennedy
Page: A7

DEBATE HEATS UP OVER MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

The political debate over marijuana legalization in Canada could soon 
intensify following a New York Times editorial that calls for the 
U.S. federal government to repeal its 44-year ban on pot.

The influential newspaper, which says the question of legalization 
should be left up to individual U.S. states, is running a six-day 
series on the issue and has reignited a hot debate among Americans.

It concluded the ban has inflicted "great harm on society just to 
prohibit a substance far less dangerous than alcohol."

The editorial comes as some U.S. states reform pot laws. Marijuana 
for recreational use went on sale in Colorado Jan. 1 and Washington 
followed suit this month. Oregon and Alaska will vote on the matter 
in November.

Nonetheless, because a federal ban on the drug is still on the books, 
those states that legalize it do so in direct contravention of federal law.

Here in Canada, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau favours a system of 
legalization that regulates the sale of pot and keeps it out of the 
hands of minors.

The Liberals argue it's a "smarter" way to deal with the issue 
because it would take away the pot market from organized crime and 
gangs, while also ensuring a better system of addressing the effects 
of marijuana use on individual health and communities.

Deputy Liberal leader Ralph Goodale said in an interview Monday he 
welcomes the Times editorial.

"It's one more serious comment with a lot of intellectual heft behind 
it that makes the point that the current regime of absolute 
prohibition doesn't work."

Most notably, he said, the central objective of keeping pot from 
youth is not working.

"All of the profit is ending up in the hands of gangs and society is 
no healthier and no safer. So surely there is room for intelligent 
discussion about how to do it better. "

But the governing Conservatives are firmly against legalization and 
have claimed in flyers distributed in some ridings that Trudeau wants 
to make marijuana available to kids - an example, they say, of why he 
lacks the judgment to be prime minister.

The issue is slowly bubbling away and could emerge as a hot issue in 
next year's federal election.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom