ALBERTA TRYING TO LIMIT POT LAW

Wants More Than 5 Grams to Still Be Criminal

Alberta may mellow in its opposition to marijuana decriminalization -
but only if the feds come down from their high first.

"The suggestion is the amount be lowered to five grams from 15,"
Attorney General David Hancock told The Sun about a Quebec proposal
that Alberta may support.

Currently, the federal government is proposing that possession of up
to 15 grams of marijuana be a non-criminal offence.

While Alberta remains opposed to any decriminalization, Hancock said
the province could accept a lower limit if it's going to lose the
battle anyway.

That proposal came out of a meeting of provincial justice ministers
held this past week, in which Quebec suggested the compromise.

The provinces would also demand a very stiff fine for possession of
less than five grams, Hancock told The Sun.

Provinces could also meet Ottawa halfway on the higher proposed limit
by agreeing that not all possession charges over five grams would
automatically land someone in court.

"The discretion to charge between five grams and 30 grams would be
left with the attorney general."

Hancock said Alberta remains convinced that pot possession should be a
criminal offence.

"We maintain our position that we don't believe that the
decriminalization of marijuana is a priority for Canadians," he said.
"But if they (Ottawa) were to proceed then we believe that Quebec's
position ... sends a better message."

However, pot advocate Marc Emery said his followers oppose any
compromise.

"There is nothing wrong with pot. Pot should not be illegal and people
should never be punished," said Emery, president of the British
Columbia Marijuana Party and publisher of Cannabis Culture magazine.

"Some of the justice ministers want to make it so a second offence is
a criminal charge, and now they want it reduced to five grams? I mean,
as if five grams, 15 grams, 30 grams makes any difference."

Hancock said there is also an agreement among justice ministers to
look at stronger penalties for those caught with grow operations.

"We may not see any of that in this fall's bill ... but at least
there's a commitment to work on stronger penalties, and perhaps even
looking at minimum penalties on the grow-op side," he said.

"It remains to be seen whether the federal government will do anything
with it at this stage."

Emery said Alberta is still looking for ways to stomp on
smokers.

"They want it so marijuana people still have to run and hide when
they're using marijuana, buying marijuana, when they're growing
marijuana, and none of that is justifiable."