FED POT BILL PANNED

Canadian police chiefs and officers have joined forces with Mothers
Against Drunk Driving in demanding the federal government dump its
proposed law to decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot.
"There are too many serious flaws in this bill and the approach
advocated by the government to deal with the plague of marijuana is
altogether heading in the wrong direction," Tony Cannavino, president
of the Canadian Professional Police Association, said yesterday.

Cannavino said one of the biggest problems with the proposed law is it
fails to give the country's cops the ability to decide whether to lay
a charge or issue a ticket. Those caught with under 15 grams of pot
would be issued a ticket, but not charged.

MADD executive director Andrew Murie said passing the bill is
premature because police don't yet have the tools to combat toking and
driving.