NOT CAUSE FOR A CRIMINAL RECORD

Nearly half of all Canadians have committed a criminal offence.
Fortunately, however, only about 600,000 of the 15-million plus have
criminal records. We say "fortunately"' because the criminal offence
they have committed is largely harmless - so harmless, in fact, that
some police officers can't be bothered making an arrest and laying
charges when they happen upon the crime in progress. That crime is
possession of cannabis, or marijuana.

We are not in favour of the legalization of marijuana. The country
isn't ready for that step and all the complications it would entail -
from impaired driving to supporting criminal groups that grow and
sell it, to its abuse by youths. Rather, what the federal government
should do is decriminalize the possession of small amounts of
marijuana and institute fines similar to a traffic offence.