Potheads Doubt Drug Law Reform

[boulder]

Ottawa - Marijuana advocates don't expect the drug to be decriminalized any time soon, despite promises from Justice Minister Martin Cauchon. Skeptics predict Cauchon's promised legislation will die on the order paper, and suggest it is being introduced as a time-buying sop without backing from the prime minister.

 

"There won't be enough time to pass it," said Alan Young, a professor at Osgoode Hall law school, in an interview Monday. "He (Cauchon) knows it's going to die on the order paper."

 

Last month a Commons committee recommended that people be allowed to possess up to 30 grams of marijuana without risking criminal penalties.

 

Cauchon welcomed the recommendation and promised to introduce a bill within months, but Prime Minister Jean Chretien has not taken a clear position on the issue.

 

Young said the biggest obstacle to decriminalization in Canada is U.S. opposition -- a view shared by many marijuana crusaders.

 

"That is the only obstacle," says Mark Emery of the B.C. Marijuana Party. "There is no real internal opposition in Canada any more."

 

U.S. drug czar John Walters has warned that United States might have to tighten security along its border to prevent a surge in contraband cannabis if Canadian laws are eased.

 

That could affect the movement of legitimate goods across the border, a huge concern for export industries. It could also bring a flood of marijuana-seeking tourists to Canada.

 

"In my opinion legalizing marijuana would force the U.S. to do virtually the same thing within a year or two," says Emery.

 

"Millions of Americans would come up here and buy pot and find its a wonderful environment. That's what the American government really fears."

 

There appears to be widespread acceptance in Canada on the need for drug reform. Even the right-leaning Fraser Institute advocates decriminalization of marijuana.

 

Canadian Alliance MP Randy White says his party is willing to consider decriminalization of up to five grams, although he has a number of concerns.

 

For example, White says there's a need for roadside equipment to assess whether pot- smoking drivers are impaired.

 

White wants assurances that fines will be efficiently collected for people with small amounts and that criminal penalties will continue to be applied for larger amounts.

 

Since any bill must go through three readings and committee study in the Commons, and then be debated in the Senate, there are many opportunities for delay.

 

"There's not enough time to do it in the time frame Martin Cauchon suggested," says Marc-Boris St-Maurice, president Canadian Marijuana Party.

 

"The Prime Minister's been wishy washy about his intentions and they'd need him on board if they were going to fast-track something through. There's absolutely no guarantees."

 

Mike Murphy, a spokesman for Cauchon, declined to speculate on prospects of the bill becoming law during the life of the current government.

 

"We wouldn't want to speculate on that at this time," he said.

 

Many pot enthusiasts are hoping the marijuana law will be struck down or fatally undermined by the courts.

 

But most court cases to date have dealt with the issue of access to medical marijuana, and judges have so far been reluctant to tackle the prohibition of recreational use.

 

Source: Canadian Press