IS THE GOVERNMENT GOING TO POT?

The federal government's efforts to decriminalize marijuana is no
toke-n gesture.

Bill C-38, the Cannabis Reform Bill, will be introduced in Parliament
in the next few weeks. The idea of possibly not charging individuals
criminally for possessing small amounts of pot could go up in smoke in
the House of Commons.

The Liberals seem, to me, to be sending out conflicting smoke signals.
If passed, the bill would introduce softer penalties for possessing
small amounts of the drug and increase penalties for growing operations.

Those caught in possession of 15 grams or less of pot will be issued a
ticket and not charged criminally. Police will be allowed to use
discretion in deciding whether to ticket or charge a person caught
possessing 15-30 grams. Fines will differ for adults and minors, yet
the feds seem determined to come down much harder on grass growers.

They appear to be saying, keep off the grass if you're thinking of
growing it but it's OK to play in the grass a little bit if you are a
smoker. Hello, but there is a direct link. The users have to get it
from somewhere, whether they grow it themselves, get it from an
acquaintance or buy it off 'the street'.

If it's bad to be a producer, as the government maintains, then
shouldn't it be wrong to use it, too?

Of course, the government is a pot grower itself.

Marijuana is being grown for Health Canada deep underground in a
vacant mine in Flin Flon, Man. by Prairie Plant Systems on a
$5.75-million contract. It's for citizens who need to alleviate pain
caused by their serious physical ailments.

Local resident Alison Myrden is a federal medical marijuana exemptee.
Living with the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis, for years
she has urged the government to produce a reliable, affordable source
of marijuana for chronic pain sufferers.

On one level, I worry about the carefree, distracting effect of a drug
like marijuana and how dangerous that could be for someone driving
while under the influence.

On another level we have to acknowledge that the damage and danger
associated with producing pot is just as worrisome, especially for law
enforcement personnel.

Less than two weeks ago, OPP in the city of Kawartha Lakes seized $18
million worth of marijuana. What is particularly noteworthy, and
scary, about this case is that when police arrived at the field they
encountered six men armed with handguns and a high-powered rifle.
Police say the suspects were impersonating police and were there to
harvest their crop.

"They were seconds from a gunfight," observed OPP deputy commissioner
Vaughn Collins.

Grow house has become a familiar term in Canada. These are the homes,
usually rentals, that have been ravaged internally, with their floors
and walls broken, windows barricaded and hydro re-routed so the pot
plants can be grown under intense light.

Halton police say there have already been more than a dozen grow house
searches in the region this year, with almost half of those in
Burlington. The sad thing is these are often family affairs with
parent and child indulging in the dangerous and illegal practice.