AUSTRALIA SHOWS FOLLY OF REFORM

Drug Scheme Full Of Mixed Messages

Noting stiff opposition to proposed cannabis law reform, columnist Chantal
Hebert rightly predicts that, "The ultimate outcome of this needlessly
tortured process could be a legal vacuum."

Indeed, according to a recent Ontario Superior Court ruling, there has been
no valid law prohibiting cannabis possession in Canada since we adopted the
Charter in 1982.

While I appreciate that our legislators are finally looking at the issue
and that most recognize that criminal sanctions are more harmful to users
than cannabis, I believe a legal vacuum would be preferable to what the
Liberals have in mind.

Tickets and fines are much easier for the police to hand out than criminal
records.

South Australia introduced an "expiation" regime in 1987, under which those
caught in possession of small amounts are ticketed and fined.

Over the next six years tickets almost tripled, from 6,000 to 17,000 per year.

However, half the tickets went unpaid, so more users were criminalized
after decriminalization than before.

Further, Australians discovered that the police are more apt to ticket the
young, the homeless and visible minorities, magnifying existing
geographical, racial- and class-based enforcement disparities.

Matthew M. Elrod,

Victoria, B.C.