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Pot grow ops a 'scourge': McLellan

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."


TOPICS: Canada; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: wodlist
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To: rottndog

For one, do a little research on the difference between subtances in hailed and those swallowed.

http://web.cocc.edu/lisal/health/drug_consumption.htm#Inhalation


21 posted on 03/04/2005 5:07:19 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: G32
If people weren't idiots and didn't demand the crap, then this wouldn't be an issue.


If people weren't idiots and didn't criminalize the crap, then this wouldn't be an issue.
22 posted on 03/04/2005 5:07:23 PM PST by rottndog (WOOF!!!!)
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To: Clive
All of society bears responsibility for recognizing the national boom in grow operations that are typically backed by organized crime, McLellan said Friday.

Hmmm. Seems we had the same problem during Prohibition. Then we legalized alcohol, and the gangs' power over the industry evaporated. Funny thing about those black markets when they are no longer black markets.

23 posted on 03/04/2005 5:11:59 PM PST by zoyd (I'm with the government. We're going to make you like your neighbor.)
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To: A CA Guy

I know there are scientific differences. This is not what I was referring to. How are the effects of pot any different to both the individual and to the greater society?

Alcohol has far worse consequences for both.


24 posted on 03/04/2005 5:12:45 PM PST by rottndog (WOOF!!!!)
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To: G32
If people weren't idiots and didn't demand the crap, then this wouldn't be an issue.

If people hadn't demanded alcohol during Prohibition, organized crime wouldn't have reaped high profits. If frogs had wings, they wouldn't drag their butts on the ground. What's your point?

25 posted on 03/04/2005 5:18:45 PM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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To: Know your rights

The point is, blame the losers that can't control their addictions.


26 posted on 03/04/2005 5:20:04 PM PST by G32
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To: rottndog

There is no problem with alcohol unless it is abused at the criminal level.
Pot with smoking goes straight to the brain and if you followed other posts over the last couple of days here, use is connected to eventual brain disorders like schizophrenia.

Bottom line, it's a dangerous thing to even think about getting started with and if you fear alcohol as you seem to, then you know there is much wisdom in never adding to societies problems by advocation marijuana usage as the next bad available thing, right?


27 posted on 03/04/2005 5:20:14 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: A CA Guy
the difference between subtances in hailed and those swallowed

How is this difference relevant to their legal statuses, or to whether their users are "irresponsible losers"?

28 posted on 03/04/2005 5:20:33 PM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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To: A CA Guy

Look at how mrleroy aka know your rights is obsessed on drugs. Why would anyone want access to this stuff easier when that's what it does to people?


29 posted on 03/04/2005 5:22:01 PM PST by G32
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To: A CA Guy
Pot with smoking goes straight to the brain

Whereas alcohol takes a few minutes longer. So what?

if you followed other posts over the last couple of days here, use is connected to eventual brain disorders like schizophrenia.

As I posted there, alcohol is even more strongly connected to schizophrenia.

never adding to societies problems by advocation marijuana usage

Why not subtract from society's problems by banning alcohol? Because we learned that the "cure" of criminalization was worse than the disease.

30 posted on 03/04/2005 5:23:48 PM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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To: G32
blame the losers

Blame drinkers for Al Capone, blame stoners for grow-ops ... what does your blame game accomplish for us? History has clearly shown that government can't eliminate those you blame, and its attempts only put inflated profits in criminal hands.

31 posted on 03/04/2005 5:26:01 PM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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To: Know your rights
"So what?"

No amount of evidence with be enough for those that want what they want, or are addicted to what they now need.

32 posted on 03/04/2005 5:26:59 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Know your rights

Drinking during prohibition was different and you know it. People were already used to legal drinks. Nobody alive to day is used to have legal access to illegal drugs, except perhaps X for awhile in the 80's and some other new ones like Salvia.

Follow the law, it's not that hard. It's good for you too.


33 posted on 03/04/2005 5:29:55 PM PST by G32
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To: A CA Guy
I don't fear alcohol; Sometimes I actually enjoy some.

There are many more medical problems resulting from alcohol use than from marijuana. Alcohol is proven to actually kill brain cells.

Prohibition of marijuana has added far more to society's problems than marijuana has. Ask those Canadian Mounties about that.

Oh yeah, I forgot. You can't ask them about it because they are DEAD. They are DEAD because of marijuana prohibition.
34 posted on 03/04/2005 5:30:38 PM PST by rottndog (WOOF!!!!)
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To: G32

My guess, there is a connection to the sub-culture of drugs along with the libertarian cult.
I figure their presence here is mostly because they get no hits at their sites and though conservatives at FR either laugh at them or ignore them, at least they haven't booted them off the site and that is exciting for them.

Come on, what conservative has a drug lust, a desire to legalize crap?
They are NOT conservative by any stretch of the imagination.

I wonder how many are actually DU people. I do suspect some are that post on these drug threads advocating pot and other stuff.


35 posted on 03/04/2005 5:32:14 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: A CA Guy

Drugs are certainly an arena where libertarians and leftwingers shake hands on and agree. It's gotta be something to do with the mental damage the drugs are causing them.. Both their ideologies in general and especially on the drug topic.

With the Greens and LP parties joining up recently to fight Bush, I suspect this trend is kicking into high gear. Sometimes I find very little difference between extremist DU types and anarchist libertarians.


36 posted on 03/04/2005 5:34:06 PM PST by G32
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To: A CA Guy
No amount of evidence with be enough

What is the relevance of your evidence?

37 posted on 03/04/2005 5:34:54 PM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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To: rottndog

"They are DEAD because of marijuana prohibition."

They are DEAD because some criminals shot them. QED


38 posted on 03/04/2005 5:35:24 PM PST by G32
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To: rottndog

Again, you are talking about the rare criminal use of it instead of the typical use.
Alcohol is a food purifier going back to the Bible, can thin the blood helping many ailments if not used to criminal amounts.

Pot goes right to the brain, has lots of associations with the criminal side of the culture and is not something a responsible conservative advocates or pushes on others as good.


39 posted on 03/04/2005 5:36:18 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: G32
Nobody alive to day is used to have legal access to illegal drugs

Many people are used to finding marijuana easily.

And even if your statement is true, what is its relevance? Drug criminalization is failing in all the ways that Prohibition failed, regardless of the differences you allege.

40 posted on 03/04/2005 5:37:24 PM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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