PUT BRAKES ON POT: CRITICS

Groups Slam Push To Decriminalize Drug

TWO INFLUENTIAL lobby groups say the Chretien government is putting the
cart before the horse in its rush to decriminalize small amounts of pot for
personal use.

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon is to introduce the legislation along with
a national drug strategy as early as next Tuesday, a senior official has
told the Sun.

"We're very concerned that decriminalization will be perceived, especially
by our young people, as legalization.

"Even though that's not really what's happening, it's the public perception
and yet Parliament hasn't dealt with the whole drugs and driving issue,"
said Andrew Murie, the executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
(MADD).

20% DROVE HIGH

A recent survey of Ontario high school students by the Centre for Addiction
and Mental Health showed that 20% of students drove a vehicle within two
hours of using cannabis, while 15% drove after drinking alcohol.

"Kids are getting a message time and time again from our elected officials
that smoking marijuana is not a big deal," said David Griffin, the
executive officer of the Canadian Police Association. "Yet their parents
and everybody else is trying to encourage them to make healthy choices."

Griffin accused the Liberal government of changing the law before putting
the proper tools in place.

"What we're seeing is a political rush to introduce legislation but for
police officers they don't have the tools to deal with such issues as
impaired driving by drugs and we're seeing more problems with marijuana use
in our schools than we are with alcohol."

NO ROADSIDE TEST

Police can't demand the roadside test for marijuana use like they can
demand the breathalyzer test for alcohol. Any change would allow police to
demand a saliva, urine or blood test.

"It's a very easy process for Parliament to put those things in (the
Criminal Code).

"And we're very disturbed that there's all this talk about
decriminalization but (the government) hasn't done the fundamentals yet,"
said MADD's Murie.

The federal justice minister admitted in a recent interview with the Sun
that his department hasn't dealt in a detailed way with the issue of
driving while under the influence of pot.