BRAKES ON POT DRIVE?

PM-To-Be Takes Hard Look at Law Changes

OTTAWA -- Paul Martin is putting his political weight behind
amendments that would toughen the government's marijuana bill, the
Ottawa Citizen reported yesterday.

The prime minister-in-waiting would "be more comfortable" with the
proposed legislation if the government came down harder on marijuana
growers, traffickers and repeat offenders, a spokesman for Martin said
Friday.

"There are rumours that the government may be thinking about
toughening up the penalties and if that were the direction that were
taken, he would be very pleased with that," said Scott Reid. "It would
conform to his perspective."

Chretien Trying to Fast-Track

Martin's position on unfinished legislation makes a difference because
he will ultimately decide which bills will be revived when Prime
Minister Jean Chretien is expected to step aside in February.

Although Chretien is trying to fast-track the marijuana legislation so
that it passes this fall, even Liberals doubt it will clear the
necessary hurdles in time, meaning it could be on Martin's plate when
he becomes prime minister.

The government's proposed bill would decriminalize marijuana
possession for small-time users caught with less than 15 grams by
giving fines of $100 to $400. At the other end, there would be an
array of penalties to counter an escalation in marijuana-grow houses
run by organized crime.

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon is considering several amendments that
would make the legislation tougher, including a minimum mandatory
sentence for people convicted of running marijuana growing operations.

The government might also lower the amount of marijuana that would
escape criminal charges to 10 grams from the current proposal of 15
grams, and impose criminal sanctions instead of fines on repeat offenders.