PIPE DREAMS

Easing of Marijuana Laws Heats Up Debate Over Drugs

A proposed mellowing of Canadian marijuana laws has sparked a heated
debate between friends and foes of the illicit weed. "It's encouraging
that they are talking about it, but I still say we need full
legalization," said long-time cannabis advocate Ron McInnes.

The recommendation that possession of small amounts of pot no longer
result in criminal charges was among several released Thursday by a
Special Parliamentary Committee tasked with studying illegal drugs.

It comes just days after federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon
hinted that his government may introduce legislation to decriminalize
pot early in the new year.

For its part, the parliamentary committee recommends that possession
of less than 30 grams no longer be considered a criminal offence.
Instead, police would hand out tickets with offenders simply paying a
fine.

McInnes served four months in jail after being convicted of possession
and other charges following an elaborate raid on his home-based
business several years ago.

A local purveyor of pipes, rolling papers and bongs, he reopened his
infamous Pot Shop in Orillia the day after his probationary period
ended.

While viewing Thursday's announcement as a step in the right
direction, McInnes said it falls short of the mark.

"I don't think decriminalization is the proper thing to do, it should
be legal," he said, adding that the resulting fines could prove to be
"a cash cow."

If Ottawa is looking for support from the law enforcement community,
it won't find it in the front-line officers whose job it is to ferret
out fields of "grass" each summer, said OPP Det. Supt. Jim Hutchinson,
director of drug enforcement for the OPP.

"I don't see any benefit for the community or for policing either,"
Hutchinson told The Advance. "Some studies suggest marijuana is
harmless, but we do not believe that is so.

"As far as policing goes, it becomes another drug out there that
people have the ability to be impaired by, and so that affects
students studying in our schools, it affects people who are operating
expensive machinery in our factories, and it affects people who are
driving cars."

Hutchinson does support efforts to stem the use of drugs like
marijuana, but staunchly opposes any move that would lead to a
softening of penalties for possession, saying it impairs motivation,
judgment and perception. "We are for prevention, education and the
rehabilitation of drug users," he said. "To simply allow a person to
pay a ticket and a fine is almost like licensing. It does not go
towards a decrease in the use of drugs. In fact, it will probably make
drugs more available."

He also said that any move to dilute pot laws could undo the years of
progress police have made in reducing incidents of impaired driving
through enforcement efforts and public education campaigns.

Without the means to test drivers suspected of being high, officers'
hands are tied, he said.

"We don't have the equipment or legislation in place to deal with
people who are impaired by marijuana."

According to Hutchinson, the recent liberalization of marijuana laws
to accommodate those with chronic illnesses has already landed some
officers in a legal quagmire as they are confronted with situations in
which the ill are using their special status to supply others with
pot.

"It is an enforcement problem in dealing with quantities, with people
who are growing it legally and giving it to those who are not allowed
to have it," he said.

Neither does Hutchinson believe decriminalization of marijuana would
free-up resources to deal with so-called "harder" drugs, as has been
suggested by some.

"We are only talking about simple possession, so certainly our past
position would be if laws like that would change, they would also have
to put more money into education, rehabilitation, and also increase
enforcement on grow houses, commercial trafficking and the production
of illicit drugs and give us a stronger position to deal with those
issues," he said. At Queen's Park, the call for decriminalization was
given a less-than-enthusiastic reception, with Simcoe North MPP
Garfield Dunlop reporting that his government isn't about to support
relaxed drug laws.

At least not at a time when the province is fighting to bring about
changes to what it claims is an overly lenient Young Offenders Act, an
ineffective gun registry and cushy federal prisons.

"It's all about justice and law and order, and they think we shouldn't
be weakening a law on marijuana when there are all these other issues
outstanding," he said.

Though opposed to outright legalization, Dunlop's personal belief is
that decriminalization does have merit. "Personally, I wouldn't have a
problem with it, because I grew up in an era when a lot of people
smoked pot and it hasn't ruined their lives."

Among the reports other recommendations is a call for prevention and
education programs, the creation of a drug commissioner and $3 million
in federal funding annually for the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

Trafficking in the drug would remain a crime.

In the past, Justice Minister Cauchon has expressed doubts about the
effectiveness of current drug laws, noting a conviction for drug
possession results in a criminal record and can lead to a person being
barred from professional certification, or from traveling to the U.S.