CANADIAN JUSTICE MINISTER CALLS FOR CANNABIS DECRIM "EARLY NEXT YEAR"

US Opposition Could Pose Obstacle

Canadian Minister of Justice Martin Cauchon didn't need to read the
House of Commons report to know where he wants to take cannabis
policy. In remarks to reporters outside the House of Commons on
Monday, Cauchon strongly suggested that the federal government would
introduce legislation early next year to decriminalize the use and
possession of marijuana.

"If we're talking about the question of decriminalizing marijuana, we
may move ahead quickly as a government," he said. "I don't want to
give you a date or a time frame, but let's say the beginning of next
year. Give me the first four months of next year."

While Cauchon added that he was waiting for the House of Commons
report to be issued, his comments Monday suggest that he has already
decided in favor of decriminalization. Cauchon made similar remarks
after the September issuance of the Canadian Senate report, which
called for the legalization of cannabis for those over the age of 16.
"I don't think I've ever really hidden my position," he said. "I think
most Canadians know where I stand, but I'm part of a parliamentary
process that I must respect."

So, is marijuana decriminalization a done deal? Not quite, said Eugene
Oscapella of the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy
(http://www.cfdp.ca). "The Minister of Justice says he wants to do it,
and I take him at his word. He is a key player in this," Oscapella
told DRCNet. "If the governing Liberal Party is being honest, we will
have decrim next year. My biggest fear is that the government will
cook up some excuse not to do anything. Will another major terrorist
attack throw everything out of whack? How will a war affect things?
Will it turn people's attention away from decriminalization?"

Oscapella also pointed to another potential stumbling block. "The real
fly in the ointment is the pressure the US administration will bring
to bear on this," he said. "Your drug czar was already on Canadian TV
this afternoon [Thursday] saying it was a mistake, there would be
consequences." US drug czar John Walters has previously threatened
dire consequences for US-Canadian trade in the event of Canadian
marijuana law reform, and while he was more tactful Thursday in an
interview with the Associated Press, he still warned that liberalizing
Canada's marijuana laws will "boost drug use and bring more pot into
the United States."

Walters added that while he didn't think decrim would "destroy"
US-Canadian relations, the US would be forced to take measures to
combat what he predicted would be an increased flow of drugs from
Canada. "My theory is it's going to cause unnecessary harm to our
citizens and our children on both sides of our borders," he said. "For
people who try to tell Americans marijuana is not something we have to
pay attention to - it's a lie," he said.

Be prepared for Walters to increase his focus on Canada in coming
months as Canadian stake-holders in the cannabis debate jockey for
position. Still, said Oscapella, "I'm optimistic. We're making
progress. We'll keep our fingers crossed and hope this can be a beacon
of hope."