U.S., Canada clash on pot laws
Thu May 8, 6:48 AM ET Add Top Stories - USA TODAY to My Yahoo!


Donna Leinwand USA TODAY

The Bush administration is hinting that it could make it more difficult for Canadian goods to get into this country if Canada's Parliament moves ahead with a proposal to drop criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana.


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The proposal, part of an effort to overhaul Canada's anti-drug policies, essentially would treat most marijuana smokers there the same as people who get misdemeanor traffic tickets. Violators would be ticketed and would have to pay a small fine, but they no longer would face jail time.


Canada's plan isn't that unusual: 12 U.S. states and most of the 15 nations in the European Union (news - web sites) have eased penalties on first-time offenders in recent years. That's a reflection of how many governments have grown weary of pursuing individual marijuana users.


But U.S. officials, while stressing that they aren't trying to interfere in Canada's affairs, are urging Canadians to resist decriminalizing marijuana.


In a lobbying campaign that has seemed heavy-handed to some Canadians, U.S. officials have said that such a change in Canada's laws would undermine tougher anti-drug statutes in the USA, lead to more smuggling and create opportunities for organized crime. Bush administration aides note that marijuana is an increasing problem along the Canadian border, where U.S. inspectors seized more than 19,000 pounds of the leaf in 2002, compared with less than 2,000 pounds four years earlier.


In December, U.S. anti-drug czar John Walters stumped across Canada, criticizing the decriminalization plan. He told business groups in Vancouver, where police allow public pot-smoking in some areas, that they would face tighter security at the U.S. border if Canada eased its marijuana laws.


The backlash was immediate across Canada, where surveys have shown that nearly 70% of the country believes that possessing a small amount of marijuana should be punishable only by a small fine. Canadian newspapers accused the USA of being arrogant and called Walters paranoid.


For years, the USA and Canada have squabbled over border issues like longtime friends with a few habits that annoy each other. U.S. officials dislike Canada's looser immigration laws and limited regulation of prescription drugs, particularly pseudoephedrine, used to make methamphetamine.


Canadian officials complain that Colombian cocaine and Mexican heroin often enter Canada via the USA. Canadians argue that the USA should do more to curb Americans' demand for illegal drugs, because restricting the supply only increases prices.


Canada's full Parliament is likely to consider a decriminalization proposal soon.


Committees in the House of Commons and the Senate have issued reports that say police should not arrest people for smoking marijuana, adding momentum to the decriminalization effort. Early versions of the proposal say those caught with no more than 30 grams -- about an ounce -- of marijuana for personal use would be ticketed and fined an undetermined amount.


'Drug tourist' penalties


Marijuana possession in Canada now is a criminal offense that can carry jail time. Although people convicted of such an offense rarely are sent to jail, they do end up with a criminal record. In the USA, states generally prosecute marijuana-possession offenses, and sentences vary from mandatory jail time to fines. Under federal sentencing guidelines, a person conviction of possession could be sentenced to a year in jail.


Canada would keep criminal penalties for marijuana offenses that pose a significant danger to others, such as illegal trafficking, selling to minors or driving while under the influence of the drug. To prevent ''drug tourists,'' Canadian officials say they would consider special penalties for sales to non-Canadians.


Walters and other U.S. officials said they are worried that such a policy change would make marijuana more available in Canada, leading to more smuggling. They say drug gangs, sensing a more tolerant climate, probably would move their operations near the Canadian-U.S. border, and more American teens would cross the border to smoke pot.


Looser marijuana laws in Canada would make it ''probable we will have to do more restrictive things at the border,'' Walters said.


For Canadians who have been slowed by security checks imposed by the USA since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, that would mean more delays in crossing the border, he said. That could damage Canadian business; trade with the USA accounts for 70% of Canada's exports.





Canadian Sen. Pierre-Claude Nolin, head of the panel that released the Senate report and a supporter of eased penalties, doubts that a new marijuana policy in Canada would lead U.S. officials to hinder trade.

Walters ''should have respect for our courts and our public,'' Nolin says. ''He cannot stop 8,000 semitrailers at the Windsor (Detroit) border every day. He's saying that, but he will not do that.''

Marijuana use in the USA has risen during the past decade. A 2001 study by U.S. government and university researchers indicated that 49% of high school seniors had smoked pot, up from 32.6% in 1992.

In Canada, authorities say their studies indicate that about 30% of Canadians ages 12 to 64 have used marijuana at least once. Although drug use generally is presumed to be rising, Canadian officials say they do not have accurate data they could use to plot a trend.

Canadians say America's rising demand for marijuana makes smuggling appealing to criminal organizations. They also cite the dozen U.S. states that have cut penalties for marijuana possession in recent years -- Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Oregon -- and say the U.S. government should focus more attention on them.

''It is up to each country to get its own house in order before criticizing its neighbor,'' a Canadian Senate report said. In the USA, state and local prosecutors handle most marijuana cases. Federal prosecutors usually handle cases that involve large amounts of the leaf or that involve suspects who cross state or national borders.

Asa Hutchinson, a former head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration who now is a top official at the Department of Homeland Security, said last year that ''we have to accept responsibility, and we're trying to reduce demand. But without being critical of Canada, we're simply stating a reality: The decision of the Canadian government will have a consequence in this country.''

More from Mexico

U.S. Customs agents say the amount of marijuana entering the USA from Canada is dwarfed by that from Mexico. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police says 800 tons of marijuana circulates in Canada each year. It's grown mostly in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec -- all of which border the USA. Canadian and U.S. officials say they do not know how much Canadian pot reaches the USA.

''B.C. Bud,'' the potent, hydroponically grown marijuana from British Columbia, and its eastern counterpart, ''Quebec Gold,'' sell for as much as $4,500 a pound, the DEA says.

If Canada decriminalizes marijuana, U.S. Customs officials expect to see more marijuana coming over the northern border, Customs spokesman Dean Boyd says. ''It doesn't take a rocket scientist to come to that conclusion.''

Canadian Justice Minister Martin Cauchon, who soon will present the government's plan for decriminalization, says he wants to bring Canadian law in line with public opinion and with judicial rulings favoring lighter penalties for marijuana possession. ''We're not talking about being weak. We want to have tougher law enforcement. Our policy toward trafficking will remain the same.''

After I finish my gin and tonic and put out this cigarette, I'll going to call my congressman in support of blockading the canadian border. We have to keep those filthy, horrible, EVIL drugs from polluting our bodies and minds.

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jeremy wood
'88 260E ~200,700 miles
- All stock, except for Blaupunkt "Miami Beach"

Dam, this is a long freekin post, let me take a pause, PUFF PUFF
I personnaly don't smoke anymore, it interferes with my sleep

As for other countries (goverment) telling us what to do?
We are the most civilised nation in the world, other states (countries) should follow in are steps! :p

Happy puffin

Dan

__________________
http://w3.uqo.ca/gravelle/images/250S/flood.jpg
DAN
1967 250s The Monster Project a.k.a "The Monster" a.k.a "Rolling Coffin" --sold--
The photographic ART thread
+++Price Guide+++

Whether you smoke it or not , I know I DON`T want U.S. tax payers money wasted on arresting , proscecuting , housing , feeding and drug testing people on parole , for smoking and selling , small amounts of pot . I want our law enforcement getting people that kill , rob and hurt people and stop wasting their time and our money on pot heads ! Jail and prison space is expensive , and we are letting really dangerous people go on parole because we can`t house them all . America needs to reform its thinking and follow Canadas (and most of Europes) lead on this . I do not apply this to hard drugs . If we taxed it we could increase monies for education and law enforcement , a double advatage over what we have now ...

heaven forbid that THAT should ever happen

i'm ofthe opinion that the whole "pot leads to harder drugs" rationale is complete bunk. I'm not saying it hasn't ever happened, but I don't think that people got ot harder drugs just because they've smoked pot.

the true criminal element is introduced when substances are controlled. it's, as always, a matter of economics: reduce the supply by cracking down on the substance, the price will go up making it a more lucrative market drawing all kinds of opportunists to it.

Can we all say 'prohibition'? i knew we could. unfortunately it seems that some governments have considerable difficulty in learning from its past mistakes.

legalize it, regulate it, and tax it. that will do more to combat the criminal element than anything else AND the govt can get some revenue from it. of course, they'll all give them selves raises and we'll still be gouged at tax time, but that's another issue.

there's no guarantee, nor does anyone suggest that legalizing pot will make ALL of the problems surrounding the issue go away, alcohol is legal, but there is still a significant DUI problem and there's the alcoholism issue as well, but I submit that dealing with those issues are far better than dealing with the sme kinds of problems that existed during the prohibition of alcohol.

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The U.S. will fight Canada on this to what end nobody knows . I agree as you know , lets legalize it , regulate it , tax it and start seeing some of this revenue going to law enforcement , education and even the national debt . Part of the therory that it leads to harder drugs is look who controls it now . The dregs of society and organized crime that also sell harder drugs . Most of the people that I`ve known in my life that smoke pot were absolutely not interested in smoking crack or jamming a needle full of heroin in their arm . Talk about a gateway drug , alcohol is probley the worst . The issue that most people don`t know about is - There are some very powerful lobbies out there that don`t want it legalized and pay dearly people to lobby our represenatives to keep it that way . Wasted tax payer money at the benefit of very big business . We need to wake up !

I say make all drugs legal . Have the government give them out free to whomever wants them. Keep a list . Those using them do not fly planes, drive locomotives, work in hospitals, work for the police department, serve in the military, or drive cars, etc.... There should be a bounty on drunk drivers so people would be watching people as they come out of bars, etc and calling the police with good descriptions of the car they are in.... Anyone refusing a blood test for alcohol would go directly to jail , (not just lose their regular drivers license and then apply for a hardship license.. something a local politician did right here in Austin lately}...... same if they don't pass the test, no waiting for all the other stuff.. they go directly to jail for whatever period they are supposed to serve for DUI....
This would eliminate the profit for drug dealers and the crimes committed by persons needing money to buy drugs..... and persons on drugs , when they come to pick them up, could be offered help if they decide they want to get off of them.

I've always been for legalising marijuana.

I smoked it in high school, but haven't since.

I find the high very similar to being drunk on alcohol, but much better.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

It has been proven many times throughout history that you cannot legislate morality or religion . Some choices are to be made only by the individual without deference to the social consequences threatened . Marijuana was once classified as a schedule 1 drug because of lack of knowledge - equal to opium ,morphine and cocaine . Drug hystaria and misinformation led the federal government to miss - classify marijuana as something way more powerful and mind altering than it was . Even with research proving otherwise , marijuana legalization threatens the conservitave status quo and certin big business ''old money'' being protected . FIGHT THIS !!!

I have never smoked marijuana (or done any other drugs) in my life, nor do I ever plan on doing so. That said, LEGALIZE IT! IMHO it'll solve more problems than it would cause...and, in all honesty, I'd rather see my kids (in the future ) smoke pot than drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes...

Sorry Texbill , you really got the unfair ''shaft'' . Did you hear about a black man in Texas getting fourty years for ten joints . FACT !!

Don't smoke either. but Legalize it!

lol... I find it funny to see conservatives actually on the side of LEGALIZING.
Although I don't support the idea of having *all* drugs legalized, I do think that Marijuana should be legalized. If tobacco is legal, and its been proven to have cancer causing agents in it... then whats the big deal with Marijuana? I don't believe that there has been any studies on long time marijuana users developing cancers.

Now, Marijuana is just one of the "natural" drugs. What are people's views on halucegenic mushrooms, AKA "shrooms"? If I am not mistaken, these can be easily purchased over the counter in Japan.

I was not for legalizing drugs until I went through Peace Officer Certification.... 23 years ago....
Too much crime is committed by people needing money for drugs... and too much money is made by criminals selling to people who are addicted... So eliminating the effect on society caused by those two situations ... with the added incentive of not putting them into prison , which simply substitutes one set outside making the money for a set inside the prison.... would save a lot of money .... and who can put a price on the heartache saved ?
Much of the price of drugs is the tax supposedly imposed by the government.. drugs are incredibly cheap to make.. and the quality / what they are cut with is dangerous when you don't know who is doing it...
So if the government makes the stuff the quality could be controlled... ( and don't forget my LIST qualification ).
I would still want Selling drugs to be illegal... and there should not be much of that when the government gives them out free....

On the difference between Weed and Tobacco.... the difference in speed of reflexes and judgment when driving is what really counts... but it would not bother me if the tobacco companes were put out of business.... tobacco is hard to grow for most people .. not like a weed... (pun).... my father is (slowly) dragging around an oxygen container due to smoking.. so you can understand how I got to my position on that.. What I think is really bad is that the Agri Dept is still paying Tobacco farmers subsidies to grow tobacco.... that makes NO sense...

I've gone off smoking weed lately. I still like it and I'll do it occasionally, but not more than a couple times a year. I used to do it a lot, and then my parents found out. Not cool. But they weren't that mad, and I've just stopped because it was starting to make me feel bad. I think it should be legalized, but it should be limited to those over 18 or so. And I'm kind of surprised, not that I should be, about how many of you guys actually do it or have done it at one point. I suppose it just goes to show that the world is embracing these problems, and it can only get better from here.