DOPE DREAM SMOKED

Court upholds pot possession law

OTTAWA -- The highest court in the land passed the joint to Prime Minister
Paul Martin, who must now decide the future of Canada's marijuana possession
laws. In a 6-3 decision that sets back the pro-pot movement, the Supreme
Court yesterday ruled it's up to Parliament to decide if marijuana should
remain illegal. There is no "free-standing" right to toke for recreational
purposes, the majority of judges ruled.

"The Constitution cannot be stretched to afford protection to whatever
activity an individual chooses to define as central to his or her
lifestyle," the ruling reads.

David Malmo-Levine, 32, and two others failed to convince the court that pot
penalties are out of line with Charter guarantees of fundamental justice.

"I'm bummed out, man," marijuana activist Malmo-Levine said. "I was dreaming
of a green Christmas, but they grinched out on us."

Martin confirmed yesterday his government will reintroduce draft legislation
to decriminalize small stashes of pot but still crackdown on grow ops.

"The legislation that is before the Parliament of Canada is legislation that
essentially makes sense," he said.

Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino is "very pleased" with the ruling.

"My issue is not a morality issue," Fantino explained. "My issue is all of
the other aspects that we need to deal with, (drivers) impaired as a result
of smoking pot, our inability to deal with that and the inadequacy of laws
in place to deal with those issues."

He also said easing pot laws would increase profits and activities in
organized crime, "who are very much involved in the grow operations."