Posted on 03/04/2005 4:15:11 PM PST by Clive
Pot grow ops a 'scourge': McLellan
OTTAWA (CP) -- Marijuana production is a violent, organized scourge that judges should combat with serious sentences, says Justice Minister Anne McLellan.
All of society bears responsibility for recognizing the national boom in grow operations that are typically backed by organized crime, McLellan said Friday.
Judges who don't penalize traffickers accordingly should be called to account, she said, one day after four Mounties were killed during a raid on an Alberta grow op that went horribly wrong.
"I would say that all of us -- including the judiciary -- need to understand what is at stake here. And I think yesterday was a horrible and tragic reminder."
Judges who don't put major producers behind bars will have to offer reasons under proposed legislation now before Parliament that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot, McLellan said.
"Where there are aggravating circumstances and there is no jail time, you explain to the people who live in your community, that you serve, you explain to them why you did not believe jail time was appropriate in light of aggravating circumstances."
McLellan denied that she believes judges have been too soft on pot growers -- a common police complaint.
"I'm not saying that. As a society we all bear responsibility to take this particular crime very seriously."
McLellan spoke at the Liberal policy convention where delegates will debate a resolution -- from the Alberta wing of the party -- to legalize pot. She dismissed any chance that the minority government will move in that direction.
"This government does not support the legalization of marijuana. We've been quite clear about that."
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Why no link?
Translation, we will go ahead with our decriminalization of pot, however we will make tougher laws against grow-ops.
IDIOTS.
The story is from Canadian Press via Sun Media
Strange use of the word "grow". Don't they speak English up there any more?
I happen to think that the increased criminilazation of marijuana upped the stakes and made the risks of growing it or selling it too high for the average person. So since there will always be a demand for pot (and no I do not smoke it anymore) someone has to supply it. Guess who fills that gap- yep a Marijuana cartel. These criminals are brutal and should be dealt with as the law demands. But if marijuana was treated much like alcohol we would remove the reason for such criminals to be involved. Think the gangsters of prohibition. Oh and I do not think legaliziing pot means we should legalize any and all drugs. I just hate the idea of good police officers losing their lives over pot. It is just senseless and way too sad.
Don't know the answer but the current approach will never work.
What's consistent about the liberals that despite their ideas wouldn't work they go ahead of it anyway.
And the word "grow" is quite apt, considering the size which these plants attain before being harvested.
Grow-ops are becoming a major problem for police and the neighbors of the growers and possibly unsuspecting landlords. A house that is used to grow cannabis is effectively destroyed and if the grow-op is in a city house the damage can extend to the houses next door.
One thing that the Supreme Court of Canada did right was to allow the use of infra red to spot grow-ops. These grow-ops put out distinctive intense heat signatures so a FLIR can be used from a chopper to survey a suspected location or neighborhood to get the evidence to support a warrant.
I seem to recall the Canadian government ended up losing money growing pot.
Socialist Twits.
Galatians 6
6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Maybe they should have a guest pot grower program.
Smoking pot is a recreational drug for irresonsible losers and that about covers it.
Dealers and distributers of the stuff should be in jail for a year or so depending on the amount and number of crimes.
Screw privacy ... we must sacrifice all to fight the Demon Weed!
I don't think God would be upset toward that poster regarding the libertarian cult. If anything, the guy was defending ethics which are based on some of the Ten Commandments given to Moses through God.
And pot criminalizers bear responsibility for creating the conditions in which grow operations backed by organized crime flourish.
Again you shift blame. Blame the suppliers and especially the users. If people weren't idiots and didn't demand the crap, then this wouldn't be an issue.
However there's a substantial part of the planet that are simply idiots.
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