Canada Plans to Cut Pot Use by Cutting Penalties

Yahoo ^ | May 9th 2003 | Randall Palmer

[CanadianFella]

OTTAWA (Reuters) - It may sound counterintuitive, but Canadian Justice Minister Martin Cauchon believes that by decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana he will actually cut its use.

Cauchon told Reuters in an interview on Friday that current criminal sanctions are being applied so rarely and unevenly that reducing the penalties and then enforcing them should result in a more effective deterrent.

"The system is broken. It doesn't work. We have to fix it and we have to be realistic in fixing it," Cauchon said.

"It's 2003 and we realize that the existing legislation hasn't been effective, and more and more people are using cannabis."

Despite concerns expressed by the Bush administration, the Canadian government is looking at changing criminal penalties for marijuana possession, possibly to a system in which users would just get a ticket.

Cauchon stresses that marijuana would remain illegal, and that criminal penalties would continue to apply to possession of larger amounts and to traffickers.

He has pledged to deliver legislation to Parliament by mid June, though it was quite possible it would be introduced as early as next week.

"We're not doing that do be soft on drugs, but to be more efficient, more effective," said the minister, who comes from Quebec, one of Canada's most liberal provinces.

"It is in order to make sure that we will send a strong message to the effect that the use of drugs -- to be more precise, we're talking about cannabis -- in Canada is illegal and harmful as well for our society."

Currently about 100,000 of Canada's 30 million people use pot on a daily basis, he said.

"We don't really enforce the existing legislation. When we do enforce the legislation we don't do it on a uniform basis across Canada," he said.

"For example, if you get caught with 5 or 10 grams (a fraction of an ounce) in downtown Toronto, you're probably going to get nothing but a verbal warning," he added.

"If you get caught in a small village somewhere in Canada, probably there's a chance that you'll be charged and tried, with a summary conviction, and end up with a criminal judgement against you."

A House of Commons committee in December recommended ending criminal penalties for people cultivating or possessing amounts less than 30 grams (one ounce), and it took issue with the idea that marijuana is a gateway to harder drugs.

But that idea is precisely the position of the Bush administration, which has warned of a possible clampdown at the border with Canada if possession is decriminalized, even if that means world's richest trading relationship suffers as a result.

Cauchon described the plan briefly to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites) this week at a Paris meeting of justice ministers of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations.

Asked what Ashcroft's reaction was, Cauchon said: "It was OK. It was what you would expect."

Cauchon said he would not expect a U.S. backlash.

"Not at all, because I believe that with that new policy we will be going in the right direction," he said.

[EggsAckley]

"For example, if you get caught with 5 or 10 grams (a fraction of an ounce) in downtown Toronto, you're probably going to get nothing but a verbal warning," he added.

"If you get caught in a small village somewhere in Canada, probably there's a chance that you'll be charged and tried, with a summary conviction, and end up with a criminal judgement against you."

Um..........just when you think they're making a little sense, then this comes up.

[Cicero]

Yes, it is counterintuitive. And plain wrong.

[WOSG]

"counterintuitive" ... and wrong!

I look forward to their attempt to cut the rate of robberies by decriminalizing that as well.

[yooper]

"...Canadian Justice Minister Martin Cauchon believes that by decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana he will actually cut its use."

Typical disjointed Quebecois logic process. He's probably thinking more along the lines of taxing the stuff once it's legal...

[kAcknor]

 ...Canadian Justice Minister Martin Cauchon believes that by decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana he will actually cut its use.

kAcknor Sez:

I'm as libertarian as I can on the subject of drug use. I believe we all have the right to be as harmfully stupid as we choose, and let Darwin sort it out. (No flames please, I hereby agree to disagree and am fully aware I'm in a minority on this).  But to claim that use will go down like this idiot is, even I don't agree with.

This is liberal speak at it's finest. By reducing the penalty to a verbal warning, the ONLY measurement of use is cut to the bone. So this time next year he will claim victory because the users of pot, counted buy the number of arrests, is down. Guaranteed victory 

"tIqIpqu' 'ej nom tIqIp" (Hit them hard and hit them fast.)

Have you checked the *bang_list today?

[Ol' Sparky]

I'm sure that strategy will "work" as well as it has in the Netherlands, where all drug use and crime have increased dramatically over the past 15 years or so.

But, what one expect from a nation with socialized medicine?

[Beck_isright]

Paraquat overflights over Toronto? Sounds like a plan to me.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

It may sound counterintuitive, but Canadian Justice Minister Martin Cauchon believes that by decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana he will actually cut its use.

If he really believes that I've got a bridge in Hackensack I'd like to sell him. If they want to make money off of marijuana by taxing it, why don't they just say so instead of pretending?

[MrLeRoy]

the Netherlands, where all drug use and crime have increased dramatically over the past 15 years or so.

Provide evidence for your claim.

[MrLeRoy]

I look forward to their attempt to cut the rate of robberies by decriminalizing that as well.

Robbery violates rights, whereas drug use does not.

[cowtowney]

Good move for Canadians. Get the gubmint out of the lives of the citizens.

We should learn something here. We can't keep making laws which are unenforceable.

[Eva]

I have to say that the effects of the eased drug use laws and free drug clinics in Van Couver has been disasterous. The druggies are taking over the streets, the whole reclaimed Gas Towne area is returning to the control of the street people. Van Couver used to be such a pleasant city with beautiful gardens and well dressed people on the sidewalks. The gardens are still there, but the people have changed dramaticly.

[krb]

Dude, that's their point...the foolishness of those two examples are why they are decriminalizing.

[Dataman]

if you get caught with 5 or 10 grams (a fraction of an ounce) in downtown Toronto,

5 grams Canadian is 6 pounds American.

[MrLeRoy]

5 grams Canadian is 6 pounds American.

@#$& metric system.

[Vinnie_Vidi_Vici]

5 Grams = .011 Lbs.

454 Grams per Lb.

[Dataman]

@#$& metric system.

It's the exchange rate.

[SirAllen]

possibly to a system in which users would just get a ticket.

Uh, yeah...that'll reduce it's use. Kind of like speeding, something 80%+ of people do because the worse they'd get is a ticket. Now, if they sent speeders to jail I guarantee you maybe 10% of the people would dare speed.

Crauchon has lost it - not that he ever had it.

[Dataman]

5 Grams = .011 Lbs.

I see you've never been to Canada. Think like a Canadian.

One Canadian dollar (notice the image) = one ball of American pocket lint.