Pubdate: Wed, 20 Apr 2016
Source: Hamilton Spectator (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 The Hamilton Spectator
Contact:  http://www.thespec.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/181
Author: Jim Bronskill
Page: A8
Referenced: Joint Venture: A Blueprint for Federal and Provincial 
Marijuana Policy: http://mapinc.org/url/TgZY9PSK

THINK-TANK OFFERS UP POLICY PAPER ON MARIJUANA QUESTION

Says Government Should Pardon Possession Convicts

Justin Trudeau's government should consider pardoning people 
convicted of pot possession - and drop any outstanding charges - to 
free up much-needed resources for legalization of the drug, says a 
prominent think-tank.

In a newly released policy paper, the C.D. Howe Institute also 
recommends the government focus on achieving public-health goals and 
avoiding a black market.

The Liberals have promised to legalize, regulate and restrict access 
to marijuana to keep it out of the hands of children while denying 
criminals the financial profits.

The current system of prohibition does not stop young people from 
using marijuana and too many Canadians end up with criminal records 
for possessing small amounts of pot, the Liberals say.

The government plans to remove marijuana consumption and incidental 
possession from the Criminal Code, and create new laws to more 
severely punish those who provide the weed to minors or drive while 
under its influence. It's now taking time to sort out the details.

The C.D. Howe paper says the federal government should retain powers 
over health and safety regulations, and provinces should have the 
freedom to design their own distribution systems.

Both levels of government should have the power to levy taxes on 
marijuana, with Ottawa responsible for taxing manufacturers and 
imports, and provinces levying taxes at the retail level, adds the 
paper, written for the institute by Anindya Sen, an economics 
professor at Ontario's University of Waterloo.

The federal government should discourage black-market activity by 
defining the legal amount of pot someone can possess, as well as 
maintaining and building on penalties for illegal production and 
trafficking, the paper argues.

It also suggests work will be needed to settle on the level of 
psychoactive chemical in marijuana that can impair driving skills.

Pot legalization could initially result in an increase in consumption 
and a need for more police monitoring and enforcement, prompting more 
government spending, the paper notes.

"This discussion suggests that dropping charges against individuals 
for illegal possession who have no other Criminal Code convictions or 
charges would save considerable government resources without other 
significant offsetting adverse spillovers," it says.

"Similarly, the federal government should consider pardoning 
individuals who have been convicted for illegal possession but have 
not been convicted or charged for any other Criminal Code offence."

A pardon, formally known as a record suspension, doesn't erase a 
criminal record. But it can make it easier for someone to find work, 
travel and generally return to society.

Trudeau has said that while there's potential for "a bit of revenue" 
from a revamped pot regime, the federal government isn't looking for 
a financial windfall.

Any cash that flows to public coffers through marijuana taxation 
should go toward addiction treatment, mental-health support and 
education programs - not general revenues, he said.

However, collecting the tax money and how it is spent "are 
economically two different questions," said Ben Dachis, associate 
director of research at the C.D. Howe Institute.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom