WOMAN FACES POT CHARGE

Marijuana is still against the law, and the Brandon Police Service
emphasized that fact on Friday when officers arrested a 35-year-old
woman for simple possession.

Sgt. Rick Semler said police noticed the smell of the drug when they
pulled a vehicle over in the 500 block of 10th Street just before noon
on Friday.

"We're not authorized to toss marijuana, so we had to make the
arrest," he said.

Recent debate over decriminalizing marijuana as well as a tendency for
Canadian police officers to turn a blind eye to small amounts of the
drug has led to some confusion about the legal status of the plant.

But Semler said the law in Brandon is clear, and police were upholding
the law as it is written when they arrested the woman for possessing
"three or four grams" of the banned substance.

She was charged with possession of marijuana and will appear in court
on Feb. 8, 2006.