Pot times
The So-Called Marijuana 'Decriminalization' Bill is coming soon
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1091/a09.htmlNewshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Tue, 05 Jul 2005 THE SO-CALLED MARIJUANA "DECRIMINALIZATION" BILL IS
COMING SOON
Source: Rocky View Weekly (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 Tall Taylor Publishing Ltd
Contact:
copy@irricana.greatwest.ca
Website: http://www.rockyviewweekly.awna.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3694
Author: Russell Barth
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 that the Liberals
think that it is okay for kids to use pot. Most Canadians think that
cannabis should be regulated so that it's 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 will be
free soon. 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 (
"organized crime" ).
Canadians already spend about $2 billion annually in the War On Certain Drugs 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. The tax revenue from this 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. By not
fully legalizing and regulating the cannabis market, our government is knowingly
subsidizing organized crime to the tune of about $10 billion, wasting valuable
police resources, making pot easier for kids to access than either tobacco or
alcohol, wasting billions annually in taxpayers funds, withholding billions more
in potential annual tax revenue, withholding a valuable source of medicine from
sick and dying Canadians, and endangering every citizen in the country. It
leads me to wonder just which side of the law they are really on.
Russell Barth
Educators For Sensible Drug Policy
Ottawa
