PM DISMISSES EASING POT LAWS

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Jean Chretien has ruled out the decriminalization
of marijuana.

Chretien told reporters Monday he supports the federal policy of legalizing
marijuana for medicinal purposes. But he gave a blunt, succinct answer when
asked whether his government intends to go any farther: "No."

He later said he welcomes renewed public debate on the issue, but suggested
that will not change his mind.

"We've made a move on the question of using marijuana for health and the
minister of health has done it. Should we go into decriminalization and so
on? It's not part of the agenda at this time. But there is a public
debate. That's all right."

Calgary police officers will continue to arrest people for possessing
marijuana. but are receptive to both sides of the decriminalization debate.

"We concur with the Canadian Police Association's decision, however, we're
are(sic) also cognizant of the parallels between marijuana laws and
prohibition laws in the 1930s," said Calgary Police Association president
Al Koenig, a former undercover drug cop.

"I guess maybe the irony is having alcohol as legal but marijuana is
illegal, and the effects of alcohol are far more devastating than effects
of cannabis."

Koening says anyone caught manufacturing or trafficking cannabis should be
prosecuted, but questioned why authorities spend thousands of dollars
prosecuting people for simple possession charges which net only minor fines.

"I think anybody who is manufacturing and trafficking, that's something
that of course we take offence to because it's still illegal," said
Koenig. "As long as it's on the books as a Criminal Code offence we will
still enforce it."

Mr. Chretien shrugged off suggestions that the push for decriminalization
has gained unprecedented momentum, noting that the issue has been debated
for 30 years.

The prime minister's rejection of decriminalization comes only two weeks
after all five federal parties agreed to strike a special committee to
examine Canada's drug laws. The creation of the committee has reignited
debate over the possibility of removing possession of marijuana as an
offence under the Criminal Code.

Tory Leader Joe Clark has said he favours decriminalization, as has a
smattering of MPs from all parties. Justice Minister Anne McLellan has
said she's open to debate on the issue.

Last year, a Senate committee was charged with undertaking a two-year study
of Canada's drug laws and has since heard primarily from groups that favour
decriminalization of marijuana.

In a departure Monday, the Canadian Police Association warned the Senate
committee that decriminalizing possession of even small amounts of
marijuana would weaken both the public perception of "harm in drug use" and
the "moral disapproval of drug use."

The association argued that countries which have adopted more permissive
drug laws have experienced an increase in health-care costs and violent
crime. It also maintained that marijuana is "the gateway" to the use of
other, harder drugs.

The police association's opposition is at odds with the Canadian
Association of Police Chiefs and the RCMP, both of which have endorsed
decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana, provided that
the government simultaneously introduces new drug prevention, education and
treatment programs.