Posted on 12/10/2002 6:03:34 AM PST by Lorenb420
OTTAWA - The federal government will introduce legislation decriminalizing marijuana within the first four months of the new year, Martin Cauchon, the Justice Minister, suggested yesterday.
Mr. Cauchon said that should the House of Commons committee on illegal drugs recommend decriminalization in its report this Thursday, the government will respond quickly.
The committee is expected to recommend that growing pot for personal use should not be a crime. A member of the committee said the report will probably suggest a 30-gram limit for personal use.
"I mean, we'll see what will be the recommendations of the report," Mr. Cauchon told reporters. "Of course, we will have to analyze all of the recommendations and if we're talking about that question of decriminalizing marijuana, we may move ahead quickly as a government. I don't like to give you a date or a time frame, but quickly, I mean, let's say, beginning of next year. Give me the four first months of next year."
The Minister also discussed his personal views on decriminalization. "You know, I don't think I've ever really hid my position. I believe that most Canadians know where I stand," he said. "So I'm looking forward to the report and I'm looking forward to seeing the recommendations regarding decriminalization."
In July, Mr. Cauchon said the system in Canada, in which police in some provinces lay charges while others do not, might not be working as it should.
"If you look at the system that we have in place, keeping it criminal, it's not very efficient," he said then. "Depending where you are across Canada, they apply or they don't apply the legislation that we have."
Mr. Cauchon, one of the youngest members of the federal Cabinet, has also admitted he has smoked pot.
"I'm 39 years old," he told reporters in July. "Yes, of course I tried it before, obviously. My own experience can't tell you if it's harmful or not."
Yesterday, Mr. Cauchon praised the work of the committee, saying it did a good job analyzing drug laws around the world.
Under the Commons committee's proposal, possession of marijuana would continue to be illegal, but those caught with small amounts would not be charged with a crime. Instead, they would have to pay a fine.
Randy White, a Canadian Alliance MP on the committee, said Mr. Cauchon's comments show the decision has already been made and that the Minister has been "tipped" as to the report's contents.
Mr. White said the Canadian Alliance MPs on the committee will issue a dissenting report on Thursday because they disagree with Liberal MPs as to what constitutes a small amount. He said he supports decriminalizing possession of five grams or less, while the Liberal MPs will likely suggest a cut off of 30 grams.
"Everybody should know that 30 grams equals anywhere from 40 to 60 joints. Now you tell me how you can call that personal possession if you're walking down the street and you've got 40 to 50 joints in your pocket. Give me a break. You're using that and you're going to sell them to kids," he said.
"Martin Cauchon and the rest of his Liberal rag-tag motley crew have already got this in hand. This is a direct affront to our intelligence to suggest that he doesn't already know what's in that report and the majority of Liberals are going to go with what he wants and he's going to go ahead with it. And to think that this is a democracy at play here is laughable," he said.
"If they're going to decriminalize it, then say they're going to decriminalize it. Don't use the committee as an excuse. These guys are just a joke, quite frankly. It's going to be decriminalized and it's going to be decriminalized at 30 grams; that's what they're going to go after."
Mr. White said setting the limit at 30 grams would be a "lawyer's dream" because it would be difficult to differentiate between traffickers and those in possession for personal use.
"They've got to make it five grams, which is, you know, you're caught with a joint or two in your pocket or you're smoking one," he said.
Mr. White said fines should have to be paid on the spot and should increase for repeat offenders. He also said the government should put money toward advertising the negative effects of marijuana and set up a system to catch those driving under the influence of marijuana.
"They will decriminalize. The Americans will not like it," he said.
A Senate committee report issued in September said marijuana should be legalized for use by anybody over the age of 16.
The committee found that moderate use of the drug poses no serious long-term dangers for adults and could be sold under controlled circumstances, like in liquor or drug stores.
Mr. Cauchon has rejected legalization, saying that society still believes the possession of the drug should carry some sort of penalty.
The Canadian Police Association is strongly opposed to taking possession off the criminal record books. Currently, a person caught with small amounts of marijuana can be jailed for up to six months and receive a fine of $1,000.
I feel for the first family that loses someone due to a legal purchase of this drug, whether it be by auto accident or otherwise.
I'm sure you have the same feelings for a family who loses someone due to a legal purchase of a gun, right? What about alcohol?
Nevermind the fact that its impossible to determine an "intoxication level" with marijuana, and since it traceable in the body to well over 30 days, you'd be convinced that marijuana was the cause of whatever someone tells you regardless of the above fact.
And as to your "or otherwise", you are either being extremely silly or have bought into all sorts of wild "reefer madness" baloney.
Actually, I'd expect Walters to say how this will be a danger to American motorists in the States because Canadians will be getting high, crossing the border and causing caranage on our highways. I mean, has he ever said one thing that wasn't ludicrous?
Currently, a person caught with small amounts of marijuana can...receive a fine of $1,000.
Of course, those two facts are completely unrelated...
Lie, scare, vilify, etc . . .
Of course anyone with joints is selling them to kids . . . eight year olds no less . . .
I think that happened at Post #2.
If it will prevent the destruction of America, I am all for it.....
If it were possible, I may be. But since this is less likely than getting hit by lightning or attacked by an alligator, its not much of a worry to me. And since its impossible to determine such a thing, I don't worry about it either.
I am more worried about people talking on cell phones causing wrecks than I am about people high on pot. I almost get into wrecks with people on the phone everyday. People high on pot, well, I end up just passing them since they are driving 30mph and thinking they are going 50mph.
The first week of each May will be a real bumout.
In this case, yes. Ethanol is a far more dangerous drug than the TCH, so it seems quite silly for a more dangerous drug to be legal while a less dangerous drug is not. It's your silliness not mine.
This falls along the lines of "but mom, Billy's allowed to stay up late, why can't I!"
Your analogy breaks down as parenting decisions for minors is a bit different than the way we treat adults. If you told me, 24 year old that I can't stay up late, when everyone else is, I'd think you were crazy.
It's a matter of the principles involved. Personally, I'm for the complete legalization of MJ with regulation similar to alcohol. However, decriminalizing personal use is a good idea. Why? Because the individual user, sitting at home, smoking weed should not be called a criminal for NOT hurting anyone else.
What's this "their drug" - "my drug" stuff? Substances do not have such possessive properties.
This falls along the lines of "but mom, Billy's allowed to stay up late, why can't I!"
Wow! Yet again, we have someone comparing the rights of adults with the authority of parents over their children. Its not surprising considering the pro-WOD crowd sees the government as our parents.
In the absence of any other reason to keep it illegal, yes. If drug A is legal and drug B is illegal, then some differentiation must exist to justify the illegality of drug B. There isn't any, other than "because it's illegal".
So you won't feel for the first person that is killed as a result of a legal marijuana purchase?
Of course I will. I also feel for persons killed in auto accidents caused by cell phone use or exhaustion, but I don't find my feelings to be a valid reason for criminalizing either of those activities. You seem to believe that the personal use of legally obtained marijuana will cause a rash of personal deaths, but I've seen absolutely no data to back up that assertion.
Just so long as you can engage in it without fear of going to prison, that makes it all right?
I don't use marijuana now, and I can't see that I'd be any more inclined to do so if it were made legal. I don't base my political beliefs on what personally benefits me.
Wow, I'm glad to see logic has left the building.
I'll take the "logic" of dozens of independent studies over the years recommending decriminalization over the "logic" of your personal feelings any day.
How do you "feel" about the people that might live because someone got stoned and drove home at 30 mph, instead of getting drunk and thinking they are Mario Andretti?
Priceless!!
Exactly. I'll readily admit that both had those affects on me while I was in college.
Ya, if you roll pinners.
Why should one be more upset by this than if the cause was alcohol, changing the radio station, diverting your eyes from the road to pick up a dropped cigarette, driving while tired...
You're serious?
Even Mexico's drug laws are much more strict, and by golly, they have the problem licked!
When's the last time you were in Mexico?
Ya, if you roll pinners.
Boy, ain't that the truth! 30 grams is the equivalent of about 1 ounce.
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