Decriminalizing Pot: Why Stop There?

So Justice Minister Martin Cauchon admits he's smoked pot. And he didn't say he merely "tried" it once or that he didn't inhale, either.

His exact words were: "I'm 39 years old. Yes, of course I tried it before, obviously."

Obviously. He said it as if he meant most people in his age group will have smoked the stuff at one time or another. And, of course, it's true: I've smoked it; you've smoked it; cabinet ministers smoked it; anyone who grew up in the '60s or '70s smoked it. Whether we liked it or not is another question. But it would be easier to find middle-aged Canadians who haven't smoked it at least once.

Some of us have even grown a bit of the stuff ( although in my case, it was involuntary - marijuana, courtesy of a previous owner, competed with thistles for dominance in the barnyard of a small farm we once owned. When a five-foot plant grew up between the front tires of an old tractor, we finally recognized it and realized our farm literally had gone to pot. The horses, however, seemed to love it. )

Some Canadians with serious illnesses are permitted to use marijuana as medication, although not without a great deal of difficulty purchasing it.

And so what? Marijuana hasn't changed, but our attitudes toward it over the decades have certainly moderated. In the 1930s, it was considered evil, but now, it's just another means of relaxation along with beer, white wine and martinis. Some parents are even finding themselves in the awkward position of having to conceal marijuana use from their children, rather than let them see their role models breaking the law. ( Schools, of course, teach kids that marijuana is even more evil than cigarettes and the start of the slippery slope to drug addiction. )

So it was not exactly a shock to find out last week, after Britain announced it will decriminalize marijuana possession, that the minister responsible for law enforcement in Canada has broken the law and is thinking of changing it.

Cauchon and Prime Minister Jean Chretien both hinted last week that the decriminalization of marijuana use could happen here in the near future, too, although only last year the PM said it wasn't on the government's agenda.

Cauchon made it clear such action would have to wait for both Senate and House of Commons reports due later this year before any decision to yank simple possession of marijuana out of the Criminal Code and make it an offence punishable by a fine. There have been some signs the Commons committee is feeling positive about decriminalization. Even committee member Randy White, a Canadian Alliance MP who travelled to Amsterdam to observe a marijuana-tolerant society, said he visited a pot cafe and had a good time chatting with its clients. ( He didn't try it himself, but let's face it, a pot cafe is liable to have a real problem with second-hand smoke. )

After much hemming and hawing, this time the marijuana law appears to finally be on the government's agenda.

There's only one big stumbling block - America and its never-ending war on drugs. They're mad at us already for allowing medicinal pot use and they'll be furious at decriminalization.

"We have great respect for Canada and Britain as well, and if they start shifting policies with regards to marijuana it simply increases the rumblings in this country that we ought to re-examine our policy," said Drug Enforcement Administration head Asa Hutchinson last week. "It is a distraction from a firm policy on drug use."

Only last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld marijuana as a dangerous drug with a high potential for abuse. The court ruled marijuana should remain classified as a Schedule 1 drug, the most restrictive classification under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act.

I hope we don't give in to the U.S. attitude, but if it were up to me, I'd go even further than our government apparently intends to. I'd do more than decriminalize the stuff. I'd make it legal to own and to grow. I'd tax the heck out of it and put it on the shelf at the LCBO next to the vodka.

At a single stroke, you'd be doing away with a source of income for organized crime and creating a useful agricultural crop that heaven only knows is easy to cultivate in southern Ontario.

You'd be able to tell police to stop wasting time and money flying around the countryside spotting pot crops in the midst of corn fields from a helicopter and go do some useful work - like putting patrol cars on the 401 in significant numbers, for example.

You'd be freeing young Canadians from the possibility of obtaining a criminal record that will prevent them from leaving the country and could hang over their lives forever.

There are a lot of issues that are way more important than marijuana in Canada today. But this is one issue we can do something about. Over the years, we've discussed it almost to death. It's time to stop talking about it and go ahead.

I've never tried marijuana. But it seems like out last two president's have. How bad can it really be, when you have leaders of the most powerful nation have indulged in the good ole mary jane?

Wait a minute - we must protect the children. They can't be doing this stuff - it was only meant for us to learn that it is the wrong thing to do. We enjoyed - I mean learned to give it up and now we stand as proud and shining examples of how not to smoke it.

So now we must pass extreme laws that have zero tolerance.

Put everyone in jail who smokes the weed - except for my children. Problem solved!

Class Dismissed!

And your solution to the drug situation is....?

Have every pastor remind their congregation about the joys of sobriety, hard work, faithfulness in marriage, and caring for children as the aim of life, not "living life to the fullest".

The alcoholism epidemic of the early 1880's was largely stopped because one brave pastor, seeing the deaths and family disintigration, decided to preach on it, and the movement spread.

But of course, people now worship at the church of TV. And a drugged up/drunk population become sheep easy to welcome a nanny state that will remove the need for personal responsibility.

As for rehab, it only works if the society changes. Nowadays, they come home from rehab, and the local crack houses are still there. And don't fool yourself: Meth and crank are the REAL problems in the bible belt, and usually polypharmacy is the rule.

Well, I agree with you in general. The 'solution' lies in reducing demand. We can reduce demand the same way, hopefully, as has been done with tobacco....education, societal disapproval.

We'll never succeed on the supply end, IMHO.

The marijuana of the 1990's is much much stronger than that used in the 1970s.

This is a bold face lie and you know it, it has been disproved many many times, right here on FR. it may be slightly stronger, and tests have prooved it over and over again, that the overall THC level has not signifcantly increased.

Most of the people I know who smoke take parenting seriously, in fact of the people who smoke MJ, I can't think of many that are divorced, and most are raising well adjusted children. As opposed to the many other parents putting kids, on ritalin, and all other sorts of anti-depressants. I would rate the Pot smokers as some of the best parents around.

but it certainly is addictive. Legalizing it will produce great tax revenue because, to the addicts at least, it is a necessity. Regardless of the tax burden they must continue to buy.

this is so from Refer Madness movies, MJ is not addictive, it is habit forming and has virtually no withdraw symptoms when quitting.

hi vin-one
you are correct
I smoked MJ for 10 years
I stopped when I no longer enjoyed it
it is not addictive, nor habit forming, there were no withdrawal symptoms

it is different from trying to give up cigs
I used to try to give up cigs
it seems like impossible feat
finally I stopped trying to give them up
I just wish they'd lower the taxes on them, so carton of marlboros doesnt cost a fortune

I never got into alcohol at all
the high didnt work for me
just made me dizzy and I couldnt remember my thoughts

I think all drugs should be legalized
let people do what they want
Love, Palo

Well, I have quit my tobacco habit, many many many times, the withdrawl sypmtoms can last years, I quit in Feb. and actually back slid, for beach week. MJ. I was forced to quit all the time do to availablity. Never had any problems compared to tobacco. Beer is my choice of beverage, and an occasionaly weekend warrior with a couple of my brothers....

legalize and tax it. It is much less harmful, than what is currently legal intoxicants.

Hi RJ
I don't understand the above posts
I was still liberal when I watched the Starr Investigation and realized clinton would get rid of our Constitution if we didn't get rid of him
I wanted him Impeached and removed from power more than anything else in the world
When I got on internet in '99 I joined Lucianne and FR
because liberals refused to see truth about clinton
right-wingers were willing to see it
I became right-wing on these forums, because I understood the falsehood of liberalism is the idea that someone else knows what is better for you than you do
Don't right-wingers support individual liberty?
I now think the only purpose of government is to protect our liberties
Love, Palo

hi vin-one
I stopped trying to quit cigs
I enjoy smoking
they have one advantage too, they are a way to do nothing when the best thing I can do is nothing
when my marriage went thru turbulent time & I was teaching myself not to answer back
(I wanted to stop fighting)
I would light a cigarette
lol maybe this is what Jesus meant when he taught, it's not what goes into your mouth which hurts you, it's what comes out of it
I dont think cigarettes ever hurt me
but fighting was debilitating me
and I'm sure happy I saved my marriage
(I love my husband)
Love, Palo

Hi, palo, good to run into you again.

Don't right-wingers support individual liberty?

Some do, some don't. I think the so-called 'cultural' or 'social' conservatives are less likely to do so across the board. I agree with them a lot, but don't agree with their desire to have the government impose those ideas.

Hi RJ
nice to run into you again too
rofl I remember the totally cynical piece you posted on Valentines Day
I don't believe in sacrifice either
I think love and freedom go hand-in-hand
(who among us does not want both)
what a come down for Asa Hutchinson
he was so courageous and trustworthy during Impeachment
now he's making war on individual liberty

they've got to stop this war on drugs
corruption from drug money is dragging down our whole government
Love, Palo

Don't right-wingers support individual liberty?

Not those eager to legalize something and then heavily tax it. I really don't get the "freedom" angle in that position.

and more cops til we get everyone sober.

LOL! You are right, we need lots more - D.A.R.E. cop faces local prosecution

;-)

We can make this a better brave, new world. With video cameras and by deputizing everyone, we can get everyone to do right.

I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that you are using sarcasm. But there are many here who really do subscribe to that exact philosophy. They are too cowardly to admit it so they dance around the edges.

hi snuffington
I think prostitution should be legalized too
I'm willing to tax prostitution and drugs
it's the income tax I want to get rid of

I think there is diff between taxed and heavily taxed
carton of Marlboros costs $11 on the air force base near me
but I have to pay $40 for the same carton at the grocery store
they are screwing us cig smokers

my priority remains stopping the war on drugs tho
our fellow citizens are being put in prison for exercising individual liberty
while gangsters grow rich on drugs and sex money

all the money we give Colombia et al for war on drugs
goes right into hands of gangsters there
Love, Palo

Who cares? I wouldn't let Canadia influence US laws, so why should they let us influence theirs? Sovereignty is still a very valid concept.

Agreed. Canada is one of the most liberal nations on earth and one that America would do best to ignore.

Hi TJ
how can anyone control another person
citizens will turn to black market to get what they are not sold legally
posters on FR have a right to express that point of view
I just don't agree with them
I'm for freedom for my fellow citizens
I expect this issue to be front burner on the political arena shortly
Love, Palo

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