'BUSINESS AS USUAL,' T.O. COPS SAY

A Windsor court decision won't stop cops from charging people found with
small amounts of pot, Toronto police said yesterday.

"It's business as usual. The law hasn't changed," Sgt. Jim Muscat said
yesterday after a judge tossed out a marijuana charge against a 16-year-old
boy.

"I don't think it will change the way we do business until the actual
legislation itself changes."

While police will likely keep arresting people for possession of 30 grams of
marijuana or less, the decision will give defence lawyers ammunition to
argue that cases be thrown out of court, lawyer Joseph Neuberger said.

"It shows there are judges not prepared to convict and stigmatize an
individual for offences that could soon be invalid," said Neuberger, who is
challenging the Marijuana Medical Access Regulations.

Last month, Judge James Crawford put off sentencing a 16-year-old caught
with a "roach" until Feb. 25 to "wait and see what happens."

That was after Justice Minister Martin Cauchon said the government could
bring in legislation in the new year to decriminalize pot use.

Tim Meehan, with Ontario Consumers for Safe Access to Recreational Cannabis,
doubts Ottawa will go ahead with the plan. "I think they're getting a lot of
pressure from the U.S."