RELAXED POT LAWS MAY AFFECT BORDER

TORONTO -- Lighter pot laws would likely lead to a tighter border with the
U.S., warns Ontario Attorney General Norm Sterling.

A Sun-Leger poll released this week found Canadians don't want to get
tougher on puffers -- 83 per cent of those polled support some form of
decriminalization of marijuana.

Sterling said yesterday relaxing pot laws would not be high on the
government's list of priorities.

"I'm against this move . . . primarily because it will have border
implications in terms of the passage of Canadians across our border,"
Sterling said.

"It will have, I believe, more detrimental effects than benefiting the very
few people that are affected by this law."

Canadians trying to cross the border would likely become victims of the U.S.
war on drugs, he said.

"It's basically not supported in the United States . . . they're concerned
with the use of marijuana. They consider that full-blown drugs," he said.

"And, therefore, the whole notion that we are allowing people to use
marijuana in our country and they're forbidding it would mean that the
border would tighten up."