FEDS CONSIDER WEIGHING IN ON SMALL POT CASE

The Justice Department will "probably" appeal yesterday's Ontario court
decision saying there are no Canadian laws forbidding the possession of
small amounts of marijuana.

Jim Leising, the Justice Department's director of prosecution in Ontario,
said federal lawyers will move quickly to clarify possession laws and
decide whether to appeal the ruling.

"It probably will be appealed," Leising said. He downplayed the importance
of yesterday's ruling, pointing out it isn't binding on any judge because
it came from a lower court.

Justice Douglas Phillips threw out charges against a 16-year-old Windsor
teen yesterday, siding with defence lawyer Brian McAllister who argued
there's no Canadian law prohibiting the possession of up to 30 grams of pot.

Last month, a Commons committee recommended the government bring in
legislation that would mean possession of up to 30 grams of pot would
result in nothing more than a ticket and no criminal record.

In an earlier report, a Senate committee went further and called for the
legalization of pot.