MARTIN PROMISES TO REVIVE POT BILL

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Paul Martin says he'll press ahead with
legislation, first proposed under Jean Chretien, to eliminate criminal
penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

But he hinted he'd like to see the legislation toughened and invited a
parliamentary committee to consider amendments on several points, including
lowering the limit for non-criminal possession from the currrent proposal
of 15 grams.

Martin said today that he sees a health risk in pot use and observed that
"any doctor will tell you it's far from the best thing for you."

However, he insisted that it achieves "absolutely nothing to give a
criminal record to young people caught with minimal amounts."

The bill brought in under Chretien, which died on the House of Commons
order paper last month, will be reintroduced when MPs return to work in the
new year, Martin said.

He suggested some changes are in the works: "I think that one's got to take
a look at the fines. I think that you have to take a look the quantities,
and I think that there has to be a larger effort against the grow-ops and
against those who distribute."

The Supreme Court of Canada is set to rule next week on whether the current
marijuana law violates the Charter of Rights by mandating criminal
penalties, including potential jail time, for simple possession.

Martin's comments signalled that - even if the high court upholds the
constitutionality of the present regime - he will move to reform it anyway.

The bill tabled last spring by then-justice minister Martin Cauchon did not
propose outright legalization of marijuana. But it made simple possession a
minor offence, punishable by a range of fines, somewhat like traffic
violations.

Cauchon denied the government was going soft on drugs, pointing out that
the legislation maintained or increased the already stiff jail terms for
illicit growers and traffickers.

Nevertheless, the bill provoked the ire of hardliners in the administration
of U.S. President George W. Bush.

John Walters, the White house director of drug policy, complained Canada
was out of step with the rest of the western hemisphere.

Paul Cellucci, the U.S. ambassador to Ottawa, warned of long lineups at
border points as American customs officers scrutinize visitors from the north.

There was also opposition to the bill from backbench Liberal MPs, many of
them well-known supporters of Martin's bid for the party leadership.

Cauchon, who was dropped from cabinet last week, had tried to dampen the
criticism by opening the door to possible amendments, including:

- - Lowering the limit for non-criminal possession to 10 grams of marijuana.

- - Increasing fines for repeat offenders. The original bill provided for
penalties of between $100 and $400, depending on whether the offender was a
juvenile or an adult.

- - Ensuring illicit growers will do jail time and not be let off with
conditional sentences. The bill had already proposed to double the maximum
sentence for growers to 14 years from the current seven, but critics say
judges rarely impose the maximum and too often let offenders off with
probation or community service.