TORONTO POLICE CHIEF CALLS FOR SOFTER MARIJUANA PENALTIES

TORONTO - Toronto's police chief says it's time for Canada to decriminalize
the possession and smoking of small amounts of marijuana.

Julian Fantino made that case in Toronto before a Senate committee reviewing
Canada's cannabis laws.

The police chief stopped short of calling for complete and total
decriminalization. But Fantino told the committee that police forces and the
courts across the country are overburdened arresting, fingerprinting and
prosecuting small time pot smokers.

"We're talking about not having to burden the criminal justice system on
certain offences involving very small amounts of marijuana where there are
no other complicating factors involved," he said.

Fantino says he'd like to see people caught smoking pot simply pay a fine.
He doesn't think they should be saddled with a criminal record. And, Fantino
wants less emphasis on policing pot smokers and more on prevention to stop
young people from trying cannabis in the first place.

The committee holds hearing this week in Toronto and Vancouver, with more
planned across the country next spring.

Final recommendations are expected next summer.