Pot times July 17, 2005
Marijuana Laws Make No Sense
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1128/a10.htmlNewshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 MARIJUANA LAWS MAKE NO SENSE
Source: Leduc Representative (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 Leduc Representative
Contact:
leducrep@ccinet.ab.ca
Website: http://www.leducrepresentative.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2265
Author: Russell Barth
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm
(Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm
(Decrim/Legalization)
Dear Editor:
Now that the same sex marriage issue has been settled ( more or less ), the
Liberals will probably want to push forward with their alternative penalty
legislation regarding marijuana, or as they keep erroneously calling it,
decriminalization.
The problems with this new legislation are many. The fact that the
proposed fines are lower for youths than for adults suggests the Liberals think
it's okay for kids to use pot. Most Canadians think cannabis should be
regulated so that its use is restricted to adults.
Legalization and regulation would accomplish that, the Liberal's proposed
legislation would actually make it easier for kids to access cannabis.
The proposed legislation would increase the penalty for growing to an
astonishing 14 years! Rape, armed robbery, aggravated assault, even incest will
draw a lesser penalty. Karla Homolka only got 12 years, and she is free.
This new sentencing policy will scare off the mom 'n' pop growers, and hand
exclusive growing rights to those people who are rich, crazy, brave, or heavily
armed enough to take a risk that big -- i.e. organized crime.
Canadians already spend about $2 billion annually on enforcement, courts,
incarceration and corrections -- and we have nothing to show for it but a bigger
and more dangerous black market than ever in the history of Canada. The
Liberals want to spend even more taxpayer's dollars on this absurd and failing
policy.
The senate committee report on drugs from 2002 suggested the government fully
legalize and regulate cannabis, generate billions in tax revenue, and use police
and correctional resources on more important issues. The Fraser Institute
crunched the numbers, and estimated our domestic cannabis market could raise $3
billion annually in tax revenue. This tax revenue market could save our
ailing beef farmers, boost our military, and increase healthcare and educational
funding.
In the spring of 2003, the law prohibiting the possession of cannabis was found
by an Ontario Superior Court judge to be "of no force and effect."
This was later overturned on appeal, but in Canada a law must be legislated back
into existence, it cannot be resurrected by another court. As a result,
the police are still enforcing laws that technically don't really exist any
more.
Health Canada's medical marijuana access program recently released their new
regulations, and they still failed to comply with a number of court orders.
This also puts the laws prohibiting cannabis on very shaky ground.
Russell Barth
Educators For Sensible Drug Policy Ottawa, Ont.
