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Newsbrief:
Canadian
Justice
Minister
Calls
for
Marijuana
Decriminalization
Next
Year,
Rejects
Legalization
9/13/02
[Editor's note:
Despite inadvertently referring to Canada's leader as "Premier Jacques
Chretien" last week, DRCNet knows full well that he is Prime Minister Jean
Chretien. Our apologies to our northern brethren.]
Responding to last week's
release of the Canadian Senate panel report calling for the legalization
and regulation of marijuana (), Justice Minister Maurice Cauchon told reporters
September 5 that Canada's pot laws are senseless and should be liberalized,
but that marijuana should not be made legal.
"[Decriminalization] probably
would be feasible as a first step," said Cauchon, who had made similar
remarks in July, possibly attempting to preempt the Senate report's expected
call for legalization (http://www.drcnet.org/wol/246.html#mauricecauchon).
"I feel there is strong support" for decriminalization, Cauchon said.
"To keep the law the way it is now doesn't make any sense to me in the
year 2002."
But he said the Senate panel
call for legalization went too far. "The legislation actually is
a sort of disconnect with Canadian reality," he claimed. He also
said international treaties would prevent Canada from moving to legalize
the weed. "The notion of legalizing marijuana is not possible from
an international point of view," he said.
[Editor's note:
This is false for at least two reasons. First, it ignores the option
of amending the drug treaties by international agreement -- a step called
for by the Senate panel. Second, it ignores the option that Canada
and any nation has of giving notice and withdrawing from the treaty.
Politics is one thing, but Canada has perfectly legal options for legalizing
marijuana or any drug without violating its treaty agreements.]
Cauchon added that he is
awaiting the report of the House committee studying the non-medical use
of drugs before moving toward a new policy. That report is due in
November. After that, Cauchon told reporters, he will move quickly
to implement decrim, possibly as early as the beginning of next year.
-- END --
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Issue #254, 9/13/02
Conflict Heightening in California Medical Marijuana Battle | Michigan "Treatment Not Jail" Initiative Knocked Off Ballot | Dance Culture Holds Raves Against RAVE Act -- Techno at the Capitol Last Friday | Montana Activists Hold First Drug Policy Summit | Marijuana Reform Party Makes New York Ballot | Pictures of DRCNet StopTheDrugWar.org Merchandise Now Online | John Perry Featured on NY1 News Channel | Urgent: Demand Freedom for the Tulia Victims | Other Alerts: Rave Bill, Medical Marijuana, Higher Education Act Drug Provision | Newsbrief: Seattle Marijuana Initiative in Trouble | Newsbrief: Canadian Justice Minister Calls for Marijuana Decriminalization Next Year, Rejects Legalization | Newsbrief: Noelle Bush in Trouble Again | Newsbrief: Afghan Marijuana Trade Back in Business | Newsbrief: Missouri Man Takes Pot Shots at Dope Chopper | Newsbrief: Oregon Drug Task Force Wants Tax Hike to Fund Operations | Newsbrief: Tennessee Drug Task Force Director Fired for Sampling Evidence Stash | Web Scan: WAMM, State on Eradication, Deborah Small, DEA Museum, Canada, California Student Survey, The Onion | The Reformer's Calendar
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