LAX POT LAW NEEDS MUSCLE, SAY TOP COPS

Alberta police chiefs meeting in Lethbridge this week aren't fans of a
looser pot possession law proposed by the federal government.

"We are absolutely against decriminalization. We believe it's absolutely
sending the wrong message," said Camrose police Chief Marshall Chalmers,
president of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police.

Lethbridge police are co-hosting the three-day conference which brings
together top cops from the province's seven municipal and tribal police
services as well as RCMP officials. Alberta Solicitor General Heather
Forsyth is scheduled to address the chiefs Wednesday evening.

Decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana is just one
of dozens of issues expected to be discussed during the three-day
conference which begins today at the Lethbridge Lodge.

"The Liberals seem to be hell-bent on this issue, and we don't have to
agree with it," Chalmers said.

Last weekend Federal Health Minister Anne McLellan gave qualified support
for federal legislation expected to be unveiled this week which would
decriminalize possession of marijuana in amounts less than 15 grams. She
said such a move must be accompanied by a new national drug strategy of
education, information and treatment.

Chalmers also takes issue with those who don't consider marijuana a gateway
drug to harder, more addictive drugs.

"I've been in policing 27 years, and I've never seen a kid go from a bottle
of beer to crystal meth."

Co-hosting the semi-annual conference are the Medicine Hat, Coaldale and
Blood Tribe police services. Also attending are police chiefs from Calgary,
Edmonton, Camrose and Taber. In addition, RCMP officers in charge of
contracted policing operations for cities including Red Deer, Grande
Prairie and Fort McMurray are at the conference.