POT BILL COULD BOG DOWN BORDER

Liberalized Laws In Canada Would Mean Tighter Security, Long Lines, Drug
Agents Warn

WASHINGTON -- Just when you thought crossing the river from Windsor to
Detroit couldn't get more difficult, there's a real possibility that it
will.

A proposal to liberalize marijuana laws in Canada could lead to tighter
security, more inspections and longer traffic tie-ups at border crossings
and disrupt the more than $1 billion a day in commerce that passes between
the two nations, according to Bush Administration officials.

The controversial proposal, which is to be unveiled next week in the
Canadian Parliament, would drop criminal penalties for possession of small
amounts of marijuana. Instead of possible jail sentences, violators would be
subject to a small fine, similar to misdemeanor traffic tickets.

If Canada adopts the relaxed law, the United States will be forced to
strengthen border security even beyond the intense scrutiny put in place
after the 9-11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, said Will
Glaspy, a spokesman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

"That means more customs, more border patrols, more DEA," Glaspy said.

The United States vigorously opposes the plan, which could become another
sore spot in the often ambiguous relationship between the two countries that
reached its nadir in a major public squabble over the Iraq war. "Marijuana
is the most abused drug in our country," Glaspy said. "For Canada to
decriminalize or legitimize marijuana means a greater availability of
marijuana in Canada, which is going to cause individuals and organizations
to try and smuggle the drug into the United States."

U.S. Customs reported that its agents seized 19,000 pounds of marijuana at
northern border crossings last year. Next to Seattle, Detroit-Windsor is the
top crossing point for marijuana smugglers on the border.

Trade Delays

Canada is America's largest trading partner. In 2001, Canada exported $217
billion in goods to the United States, and America exported $164 billion to
Canada. Michigan exports to Canada in 2000 were $22 billion, up 11.6 percent
from four years earlier.

The threat of inspections delaying commerce was raised by Bush
administration Drug Czar John Walters, who said looser marijuana laws would
require the United States to do "more restrictive things" at the border.

Canadian Sen. Pierre-Claude Nolin, a supporter of eased marijuana laws,
dismissed Walter's warning. "He cannot stop 8,000 semitrailers at the
Windsor border every day," Nolin said. "He's saying that, but he will not do
it."

Bill Anthony, a Customs Services spokesman in Washington, said inspectors
could handle the additional work if there were any.

"In the months since Sept. 11, we have bolstered our presence all along the
border," Anthony said. "We have more people there.

"This would not take away from terrorism. (Fighting) terrorism is our No. 1
goal. But the fact that we are looking at more things and more people
probably makes it harder for the smuggler, albeit Cuban cigars or whatever.
This is what we do. We're looking for everything."

Experimental Youth

Former Michigan Gov. James J. Blanchard, who served as U.S. Ambassador to
Canada from 1993-96, said his greatest concern is that Canada's loosened
marijuana laws will lead to Metro Detroit youth going to Canada to obtain
the drug.

"This could encourage young people to go to Canada to experiment with
marijuana," Blanchard said. "The longer you can delay or discourage
experimentation, the fewer substance abuse problems you will have later on."

"A lot of young people will go over there to get high," agreed Donna
Paridee, a New Baltimore homemaker and member of the Macomb County chapter
of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

"But us older people, we don't need to go to Canada for our pot," she added.
"I've been able to get my pot here since 1978 without any problem."

For the most part, the United States and Canada, who share a 5,525-mile
border, have enjoyed a harmonious relationship. But over the years there
have been a number of disagreements, primarily over trade issues.

"There is a great nationalistic streak in Canada," said Peter Teeley, a
senior vice president for Amgen who served as U.S. Ambassador to Canada in
the administration of Bush's father, George H.W. Bush. "In some respects,
there is an element of anti-Americanism."

Teeley described Canada's proposed relaxing of its marijuana laws as another
"tweaking of the United States." But the disagreements erupted full force
over the issue of Iraq. Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien and many
members of Parliament were adamantly opposed to U.S. forces invading Iraq.
In the aftermath of the disagreement, President Bush canceled a state visit
to Canada that was scheduled to begin last Monday.

Teeley said he thinks the disagreement over Iraq "will take a long time to
repair. There are some very hard feelings there. I think some of the
criticism went way too far. It appeared more personal than professional."
But Blanchard believes that the differences between the two countries,
whether over Iraq or the marijuana laws, will "over the long haul be viewed
as minor hiccups."

"The relationship remains strong," the former ambassador said. "The
relationship is defined by a lot of things -- $1.5 billion-a-day in trade,
millions of transactions, visitors and relatives. That's what shapes our
common partnership far more than one or two government decisions."