NEW MARIJUANA LAWS LIKELY TO TAKE EFFECT IN DECEMBER

OTTAWA - Canadians won't likely see the federal government's new marijuana
law until later this year, says a Senator who headed a committee calling
for the relaxation of penalties for pot users.

"Probably by Christmas we'll have new amendments," said Tory Senator
Pierre-Claude Nolin on Ottawa Inside Out on Global TV yesterday.

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon is poised to introduce legislation this
month that would relax marijuana laws by removing possession of less than
15 grams from the Criminal Code.

"He was supposed to do it this week. It was postponed to some time before
the adjournment in June," Nolin said, adding that it now appears unlikely
until the end of the year.

Nolin, who chaired a Senate committee that recommended a form of
legalization by where marijuana would be controlled and sold in much the
same way as wine, said Canada's objective has not been explained properly
to wary U.S. officials in Washington.

"Here in Canada, we're going to have de-penalization, smaller sanctions for
an illegal action," said Nolin. "We have to explain to them (the U.S.) what
are our objectives."

Police across Canada are concerned with the government's move to ease its
laws on what is now illicit drug use, Mike Niebudek, vice-president of the
Canadian Police Association, sad on the show.

"There has to be a threshold. There has to be a line drawn somewhere and
right now the line is being drawn at the marijuana level," Niebudek said.
"For some people, especially children, what we're sending is a strong
message, that society is not tolerating the possession of marijuana right now."

Niebudek said easing Canada's pot possession law would lead to abuse of
harder drugs. Nolin disagreed.

The chaos over Canada's pot laws was compounded Friday by Ontario Superior
Court Justice Steven Rogin's ruling that possessing less than 30 grams of
marijuana is no longer against the law in Ontario. Niebudek said the
decision is likely to be appealed to the high court.

Cauchon has emphasized the bill will also include stiffer penalties against
drug traffickers and grow operations.