Canada's marijuana laws worry U.S.

CNN ^ | Today | AP

[Rodney King]

TORONTO, Canada (AP) -- American officials caution they may be forced to drastically slow trade across the northern U.S. border if the Canadian government relaxes its marijuana laws.

The changes being considered by Prime Minister Jean Chretien's government would make the penalty for getting caught with a joint similar to a traffic ticket.

[Rodney King]

Don't we have anything better to do than to worry about people in Canada smoking weed?

[Rodney King]

bump

[steve50]

The powers that be like things the way they are. How else could you make a valueless plant worth as much as gold?

[Wolfie]

Let me get this straight: Canadian immigration policy threatens U.S. safety by way of terrorism, but we'll only tighten border security if they decrminialize pot? Walters is a loon.

[Wolfie]

Also, one word: NAFTA.

[HELLRAISER II]

Hey U.S. Government! It's pretty simple, Legalize ya dumb asses! Great source of revenue, empty our jails & put real criminals behind bars instead. It's a no brainer guys.

[vin-one]

HR, there you go talking common sense, our gov't can't have any of that now....

Bong to the Wod_list

[MrLeRoy]

Washington would respond with tighter border checks that could hinder trade crucial to the Canadian economy.

This attempted blackmail could backfire. The trade to be hindered is presumably important to many US businesses trading with Canada; such a move might put those businesses on the anti-WOSD side.

[spodbox]

Any policy that restricts trade with Canada is unbelievably stupid. Canada is BY FAR our biggest trade partner and shutting that down over something this stupid would decimate the economy.

It's quite obvious by now that Walters is desperately trying to maintain his job. And bringing up treaties is extremely hypocritical, considering all the treaties the Bush administration has already dumped.

[Wolfie]

The "Canada is a major source" statement is also BS. Most of the marijuana used is grown right here in the good ol' U.S. of A., or smuggled in from Mexico. Canadian weed accounts for a very small percentage.

[FreeTally]

Headline should read:

Canada's Marijuana Laws worry those in the U.S. who's jobs depend on drugs being illegal

or

U.S. politicians worried that Canada's marijuana laws could harm contributions

[FreeTally]

"We intend to protect our citizens. We would have no choice," said John P. Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Oh, that's alright John. I think we could stand a lot less of your type of "protection".

[tacticalogic]

He also said Canada has backed off from a plan to provide government-grown pot, though it allows approved patients to grow their own or designate someone to do so. He blamed the decision on American pressure.

"Wretched, indeed, is the nation in whose affairs foreign powers are once permitted to intermeddle." --Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 1787.

[dcwusmc]

Agreed. Now let's see the WODDIES check in.

[monday]

"Canada's marijuana laws worry U.S."

Funny, it's the U.S.'s marijuana laws that worry me. Canada's marijuana laws don't worry me at all. I don't live there. I guess the concept of minding your own business is unknown to the busy body drug warriors.

[AppyPappy]

Canada's marijuana laws worry U.S.

I'll have to get stoned just to sleep at night

[WyldKard]

Also, one word: NAFTA.

Yeah, I seem to remember there being a clause in NAFTA that restricts the amount of border searches that can be done on trade vehicles crossing the North and South borders. If they start getting backed up, they have to "fast track" a bunch of them...