Canada to press ahead with pot reform bill
 

Let me just say, I love Canada. I love it alot.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?<br...marijuana_dc_1

Canada to Press Ahead with Pot Decriminalization
Thu Dec 18, 3:40 PM ET Add Health - Reuters to My Yahoo!


By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's new prime minister said on Thursday he would press ahead with plans to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, an idea opposed by both the United States and Canadian police.

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Paul Martin (news - Y! TV), who has made improving relations with Washington one of his main priorities, said he did not think that young people caught with small amounts of pot should have a criminal record.


Earlier this year Ottawa unveiled a draft law that proposed slapping fines on those possessing small amounts of the drug. Officials estimate 100,000 of the country's 31 million people use pot daily and say 20,000 are convicted each year for using marijuana.


The draft legislation died when Parliament was shut down in November ahead of the handover from Prime Minister Jean Chretien to Martin.


Asked whether the government would reintroduce the law into Parliament, Martin told reporters: "Yes, we're going to." Parliament is due to reopen in early February.


The original draft wanted to eliminate criminal penalties for possession of up to 15 grams, or about half an ounce, of marijuana. Some legislators want Martin to cut this to 10 grams.


"I think one has to take a look at the fines ... and the quantities and I think there has to be a larger effort against the grow-ops and those who distribute," Martin said.


Some U.S. officials say a relaxed Canadian marijuana law could force a clampdown at the border, jeopardizing the Canada-U.S. trade relationship -- the world's largest.


"Certainly, from a health point of view, doctors will all tell you that it (using pot) is not the best thing," Martin said. "But it's of no use to anyone to give a criminal record to a young person who is caught with small quantities."


Canadian police say they worry about the law, in particular how to deal with drivers found high on pot. In August, Toronto's police chief accused judges of handing down "totally and absolutely inadequate" sentences on major pot growers.


Washington says Canadian laws are already too soft on traffickers and insists marijuana shipments to the United States -- worth billions a year -- are booming.


But Ottawa says Washington's own data shows that of all the illegal pot seized by U.S. agents, only 1.5 percent came from Canada. It also points out that at least 10 U.S. states already have similar laws on pot possession.

im not sure how i got the whole link to...well, link. But whatever.

I don't think it's necessarily that bad of an idea. I mean when you think about it, marijuana and alcohol are really on the same level of drugs.

A drug is a drug...is a drug
I'll stay neutral
For I know what drug can do, if misused, I did.

Good to see our neighbors to the North are not going to continue fighting a losing war.

Hell, if they are going to decriminalize possession of small amounts, then they might as well just legalize it. That way, they can tax it. They can use the tax revenue to help support their medical programs and also drug rehab centers.

I have never used drugs. However, we will never be able to stop people from attaining drugs and using them.

im pretty sure that your already to posess some small amout in canada here, i dont but i am sure you are...

This is something I wasn't expecting from Mr. Martin. I guess I judged the guy too quickly or something. He just struck me as being...the kind of guy who would be against decriminalized marijuana.
Of course, I wonder how this bill will turn out against the new unified Conservative Party.

My friend Ryan will be quite happy with this. He enjoys him some pot.

How the hell did you get your signature and the "last edited by" tag to link? Quite impressive bug you found.


Anyway, I support decriminalization, as it's just another step toward legalization, which will bring regulation and prevent kids from getting joints laced with other shit from dealers.

Anybody call flyman yet? :lol:

If it clears up the court system a bit and they severely fine people busted with pot, it's sounds like a good idea to me.

haha, someone ought to. I say its a good thing, maybe prices will come down. I say decriminalize it alltogether, but leave it against the law, just with no penalties.

That way it cant be taxed. ;)

Might as well make it legal, sell it and use the tax money to help the addicts on stronger stuff.

I smoked a little years ago and wouldn't mind a buzz or two now. It's just too much trouble, especially if your job makes you move occasionally. Fortunately now I live in metro Detroit, just minutes away from Windsor. You can bet I'll be watching the news!

I was unsure about Martin's stance on decriminalization when he got rid of Justice Minister Martin Cauchon, the man who was spearheading the decrim. movement. But I guess Martin just wanted to give his buddy Irwin Cotler a job. Funny that, like the article said, Martin seems to be trying to cozy up to the U.S., but decriminalizing pot is about the worst way to go about gaining favour with Dubya.

And the conservative party..... with a Liberal majority government, the conservatives might as well just not show up to parliament, even if they did just unify with the reform party.

I think it's a great idea, our courts are so clogged up with minor possession cases that sometimes serious cases get thrown out. Would you rather have the rapists on the streets or the potheads?

Edit : If the government started selling it's own weed, I wouldn't buy it. They tried growing a huge batch a couple of years ago, and it was total garbage. And, like liquor and cigarettes, I bet at least half the cost would be taxes.

i am not a pot smoker and i still think it should be legal everywhere, i mean if you are allowed to drink then what is the difference.

can i say, like, I looouuuuve Canada, eh.

It's about damn time someone made a step in the right direction. Hopefully this will open up more doors, and we will be able to live a bit more freely with our own life decisions.

Not to start a rant, but every once in a while I think to myself, "do they realize they're telling us we can't grow a specific plant?"

Can you imagine being told you can't grow a tomato plant, or a maple tree, just because your government says so?

If I can own a gun, a car, knives, take karate- all things that can allow me to instantly and indescriminatly end another person's life, or smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol AS MUCH AS I WANT, then why all the fuss over pot?

Do what you want with YOUR life, and I will do what I want with MINE, ok? Great. Thanks.

The medium rare striploin was excellent and the fried onions and shrimp in garlic butter couldn't have been better. Now after a toot of the evil weed and too many beers, Lee Ritenour is ripping.

I have never used an illegal drug, but christ, look at the stats- WE ARE LOOSING THE DRUG WAR- we always will and are creating a market for the shit by driving up prices-why kill thousands of people and charge billions in incarceration fees- all from our U.S. taxpayers dollars- DECRIMINALIZE And TAX IT- then maybe we could fund our schools instead of teaching inner city kids that the most effective way to get ahead is to sell crack. PROHIBITION HAS NEVER WORKED!

I like the idea. I personally don't use pot, but I think fines would raise more money and cut the cost of charging all those people with possession.

The main problem is this: the US doesn't want it, and what the US doesn't want, we don't do, period. This is the main problem that Chrétien ran into when he introduced this legislation in the first place. The second problem is that the Martin government is trying to back off from the former liberal government, they are there and campaigning on a platform of "change" same as the Ontario liberals campaigned in the last provincial election, they want to "mix things up" and "reform the way a government works". Due to this platform the federal Martin government is letting die the "legacy" laws that Chrétien tried to bring in, pot was one of them. This renewed interest is leaving me very hopeful, maybe this time we will stand up to the American government, maybe this time the extra tax revenue will be enough of an incentive, at the very least maybe the debate will bring more awareness to the Canadian public.

CHA-CHING...............i for one am really paying attention to this little gem.

*breaks out bong*

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee............

On the individual level, it will be business as usual, only even simpler. In Montreal, we (my friends and I) used to carry two small stashes on us if and when we decided to carry some weed around (to a party or the Tams festival on Mount Royal, the only way to fly). If we got busted, which happened only a couple times, we would just hand the smaller stash (usually half an ounce) to the cops, who would then toss it in a storm drain. No fine, no hassle, and we still had a backup stash. The average Montreal beat cop did not want to fuck around with paperwork before and they sure as hell won't be inclined to do so upon decriminalization. If anything, people will get a bit bolder and carry more.

Still, as was mentioned before, decriminalization is a good thing. Less clogging of the courts and more mellowed out people that don't fuck with anyone. To paraphrase Bill Hicks, you never see people on pot start trouble because it is fucking impossible.

hehe... I wouldn't hold out hope for that. :) If pot is decriminalized, you can bet your bottom dollar it ends up the way of tobacco, if not worse. Taxed to the nuts, but available in every convenience store across Canada. I'm not very pot savvy, but I would imagine they would put restrictions on it's potency as well.

OK people, time for a vocabulary lesson: decriminalized does NOT mean legalized! If pot is decriminalized (which is sure to happen shortly), it will still be illegal, but people caught with small quantities that doesn't make them a dealer will receive fines (if any) instead of jail time. It will certainly not become like cigarettes! It will not become available in packs at the corner store and taxed up the ass by the government! Decriminalization's primary aim is to ease the workload for cops and the courts on what amounts to being a minor threat on society at large, when compared to harder drugs and crimes.

yea then they can deal with more important things.. like how the us courts cater to the riaa

IMO, levying fines is analogous to taxing, except that it sends a message that the government doesn't support or condone the behavior. I think that's a positive step.

Completely legalizing pot may give some people a legal leg to stand on when they come to work high. Hmm, maybe it's time to criminalize (as in, levying small fines) tobacco... ;)

is there anyone here from amsterdam that can tell me exactly how it works there? I have long said I dont understand how alcohol can be legal and marijuana (a natural plant) cant be. I hear people talk all the time about pot being "legal" in Amsterdam but Im still unsure how it works.

Kudos to Canada if they pass this, I would love to live somewhere that I could have a joint in my car (should I choose to do so) and not go to jail for it....notice I said HAVE it, not drive impared, Im not for driving under the influence of anything

I never bother with the stuff, but could care less if it's decriminalized or not.

You can't blow out a fire, so why even try.

As previous posters have said, it only clogs up the courts and costs a ton of money.

Free Tommy Chong

http://www.freetommychong.org/

i hear the vote comes down today...........


*crosses fingers*

one small step for man....one giant leap for mankind:thumbsup:

http://www.changetheclimate.org

Sorry guys :(
 

Linky

"Haha! Smoke that, hippies!" -Canada

Marijuana possession should result in 10 years of public service. Put them in the chain gang cleaning up the highways every weekend, that oughta keep them from turning into a mass of apathetic, lazy, good-for-nothings.

someones being stereotypical..................:rolleyes:

No one around here gives a shit about minor possesion, including the cops. The law will catch up to the will of the people one day.

Alcohol is legal. That doesn't mean I'm going to come into work drunk.

With one noteable exception here, it seems this is a non-issue. Those who want to smoke want it leagalized, those who don't smoke don't care if it's illegal or want it legalized to reduce the waste of tax monies to fight it. Maybe someday the politicians in both Canada and America will get a clue.

The Government says they will still introduce new legislation regarding the decriminalization of pot. This ruling has nothing to do with the impending bill.

being one that smokes....i would rather see it decriminalized as apposed too legalized.

i just wanna have a hoot without the bullshit.

if i smoke in puplic.....just like alcohol,give me a fine.
(in canada we're not allowed to drink in the open...ie:walking down the street with drink in hand)

either way....i drink alcohol at home and i'm still gonna smoke at home too.

i rule my world.....not anyone else.

:D :D :D :D :D :D