POT TO BE DECRIMINALIZED?

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon gave the strongest indication yesterday
that Canada may decriminalize pot.

"If we're talking about that question of decriminalizing marijuana, we may
move ahead quickly as a government," Cauchon told reporters.

"I don't like to give you a date or a time frame, but let's say the
beginning of next year, the four first months of next year."

He said a parliamentary committee's report, expected to be made public
Thursday, will impact on the kind of law he'll bring down.

It's expected the special committee will support the proposition that
growing pot for personal use should not be a crime.

The same committee released its first report yesterday, recommending safe
injection sites and needle exchange programs for heroin addicts in major
Canadian cities.

Sources familiar with the work of the committee said the move to
decriminalize marijuana would still make the possession of pot illegal, but
the punishment would be a fine rather than a criminal record.

"If you're going to decriminalize marijuana where is a person supposed to
get it?" said one well-placed source, who confirmed that the committee is
in favour of letting Canadians grow their own pot.

In September a Senate committee recommended that pot be legally available
for anyone over 16.

The committee found that moderate use of the drug poses no serious
long-term dangers for adults and could be sold under controlled
circumstances, like liquor or in drug stores.

The government's throne speech this fall promised changes to drug laws,
including "the possibility of the decriminalization of marijuana possession."