PRESIDENT TELLS HARPER, BUT NOT REPORTERS, LOOSER POT
LAWS WILL AFFECT BORDER CROSSINGS

Although President George W. Bush wouldn't publicly speculate on whether
marijuana decriminalization will result in a border crackdown, he expressed
private reservations to at least one of the people he met during his visit
to Canada: Conservative leader Stephen Harper.

Asked at a news conference whether he had any opinion on the proposed
relaxation of marijuana possession laws, Mr. Bush joked that "it'll
probably affect those who use marijuana a lot more than it'll affect
the border," adding later that "I don't have a comment on what you're
doing internally about that."

But after a private discussion with the U.S. President, Mr. Harper
told reporters Mr. Bush expressed concerns similar to those voiced by
U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci, who predicted looser pot laws will
result in longer border tie-ups.