MARIJUANA POSSESSION STILL ILLEGAL IN CANADA

TORONTO -- Canada's supreme court upheld the country's current laws
against marijuana possession Tuesday, even as Prime Minister Paul
Martin press to eliminate jail sentences for people caught with small
amounts of the drug.

In a 6-3 decision, the justices ruled that possession of marijuana
would remain a criminal offense for now. In a separate, unanimous
decision, it maintained trafficking was illegal.

The ruling does not preclude Martin from going ahead with a proposed
bill that would soften penalties.

President Bush has expressed concerns over the bill, fear it could
encourage drug smuggling along the border.

The court ruling prompted praise from law enforcement groups but
disappointment from proponents of marijuana legalization.

"My huge patriotism may slowly be dissipating. I have a lot of faith
in my country, in freedom and justice, but it doesn't seem like we
have a whole lot of that left," said Dominic Kramer, a marijuana
activist who runs a store that sells hemp products and paraphernalia
in Toronto.

Tony Cannavino, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed
the decision but expressed concern over Martin' s intent to pursue the
controversial bill.

He said marijuana growing seemed to be on the rise.

"We have more and more 'grow ops' across the country," he told
reporters in Ottawa.