NEW MARIJUANA LAW COULD BE DELAYED, SENATOR SAYS

'Probably by Christmas we'll have new amendments,' committee chief Nolin
tells Ottawa TV program

Canadians probably won't see the federal government's new marijuana law
until late 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," Tory Senator
Pierre-Claude Nolin told Ottawa Inside Out, Global TV's Sunday morning news
program.

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon had been poised to introduce long-promised
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, chairperson of a Senate committee that recommended a form of
legalization 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 depenalization, smaller sanctions for
an illegal action," said Nolin, adding that some U.S. states have done the
same thing. "We have to explain to them (the U.S.) what are our objectives."

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

"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 confusion 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 law still stands until the Supreme Court of Canada rules
on Rogin's decision, which is likely to be appealed to the high court.

In an effort to win over nervous Liberal colleagues, Cauchon has emphasized
the bill will also include stiffer penalties against drug traffickers and
marijuana grow operations.

The federal government is said to be considering fining small-time
marijuana users as little as $100.