MARIJUANA CHARGES REACH 20-YEAR HIGH

Possession Charges Up 42 Per Cent From 1992, StatsCan Study Reveals

As politicians and courts ease up on marijuana possession, police have
been hardening in their attitudes by laying significantly more charges.

Police statistics show that cannabis offences spiked a dramatic 80 per
cent from 1992 to 2002, reaching a 20-year high.

Most of the charges were laid for possession of less than 30 grams,
the equivalent of about 30 cigarettes.

"It could be enforcement priorities, it could be related to increased
use," said Richard Garlick of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

"We know that cannabis use rates have gone up over the last 10 years,
so I guess that's one indicator of why there may be more possession
charges."

Statistics Canada released the figures yesterday, which were compiled
by police. On the same day, federal politicians began debating a bill
to decriminalize marijuana possession that could clear the House of
Commons as early as next month.

Police reported they laid 42 per cent more charges for drug crimes
since the early 1990s, and three in four charges involved marijuana,
mainly possession.

In 2002, police laid 93,000 drug charges.

Drug trafficking charges declined over the same decade.

Young adults aged 18 to 24 were most likely to be caught with drugs,
followed by the 12-to-17 age group.

Mr. Garlick said the statistics reflect several studies showing that
marijuana is making a dramatic comeback among young people, whom he
said were raised by baby boomer parents with more relaxed attitudes
toward smoking marijuana.

"That's one theory," he said. Drugs also are becoming easier to buy
"and increased availability is usually the reason why any drug use
goes up."

Canadians are also confused about the state of the law, said B.C. MP
James Lunney, one of several MPs who rose during a House of Commons
debate yesterday to oppose decriminalization.

"I don't think the message is being sent that marijuana is illegal in
Canada," the Conservative MP said.

About one in 10 homicides between 1992 and 2002 involved drugs --
about 60 per cent of which was cocaine, 20 per cent was marijuana and
five per cent was heroin. Other unspecified drugs made up the
remaining 15 per cent.

From 1992 to 2002, British Columbia and Quebec each accounted for 29
per cent of drug-related homicides -- the highest proportions. They
were followed by Ontario, with 24 per cent.

The statistics show a patchwork of drug charges across the country.
Police in Thunder Bay led the nation in the rate of laying charges,
followed by Vancouver, Victoria and Trois-Rivieres, Que. The rate in
Kitchener was the lowest in Canada.

"There are a number of factors that can affect the rate of
drug-related incidents, including differences in, and changes to,
local police resources and enforcement priorities," said Statistics
Canada.

Among the provinces, the rate of charges was highest in British
Columbia, with 544 charges per 100,000 people, almost twice the
national average of 295, in keeping with a 25-year trend. This was
followed by Saskatchewan, at 351, and New Brunswick, at 343.

All provinces have shown an increase in charges in the last 10 years,
with New Brunswick leading the pack with a 134-per-cent increase. This
was followed by Saskatchewan at 97 per cent and Quebec at 81 per cent.

The federal government has maintained that a key reason for
decriminalizing marijuana is that police forces are inconsistent in
their enforcement and that is unfair when the punishment results in a
criminal record.

"In some areas, you get a slap on the wrist, in other areas you get a
criminal record," former solicitor general Wayne Easter said yesterday
in the Commons.

The Canadian Professional Police Association, which opposes marijuana
decriminalization, refused to comment on the statistics yesterday.

The organization, representing front-line officers, is part of a broad
coalition that will write Prime Minister Paul Martin today urging him
to repeal marijuana decriminalization.