Pubdate: Wed, 22 Oct 2014
Source: Kingston Whig-Standard (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Sun Media
Contact: http://www.thewhig.com/letters
Website: http://www.thewhig.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/224
Author: Giuseppe Valiante
Referenced: Marijuana's Health Risks and Harms: http://mapinc.org/url/CSCLyFhB
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Marijuana - Canada)

NDP, GRITS: POT REPORT BIASED, FLAWED

OTTAWA- The NDP and Liberals say the Conservative-dominated health
committee report on marijuana is biased, inherently flawed, and omits
evidence that contradicts Conservative ideology.

The health committee's report, called "Health Risks and Harms of
Marijuana," recommends the government try to prevent marijuana use in
Canada as well as raise awareness to the drug's harmful effects.

Health committee chairman and Conservative MP Ben Lobb did not return
QMI Agency's request for comment on Tuesday.

The NDP and Liberals rejected the committee's majority report. New
Democrats on the committee said testimony "that did not support (the
Conservatives') pre-conceived views about marijuana ... was dismissed
and eliminated."

The Liberals also claimed the recommendations and testimony in the
majority report "(do) not reflect the testimony and advice that we
heard. Much of the testimony ... specifically around scientific
evidence, is absent from the report."

The Conservative government has resisted calls to decriminalize or
legalize marijuana in Canada. Conservative ministers, in the past 12
months, have shown openness to consider decriminalization, but no
significant steps have been announced by Stephen Harper's government.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has called for outright legalization of
marijuana, while the NDP says users should not be criminally charged
and the drug's effects studied further.
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MAP posted-by: Richard