CITY STANDS FIRM AGAINST DRUGS

THE Issue:

The City of Timmins has decided to support the Canadian Association of
Chiefs of Police (CACP) in their stance against the decriminalization of
marijuana.

WHAT You should know:

Timmins Police Service, the Timmins Police Service Board and the city agree
marijuana use should remain a criminal offence.

Timmins Police Chief Denis Lavoie maintains marijuana is a gateway drug to
harder narcotics.

Lavoie believes, by not decriminalizing the drug, it helps protect future
generations from drug abuse.

Efforts are afoot to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level for
medicinal purposes.

CITY STANDS FIRM AGAINST DRUGS

At Monday night's council meeting, the city passed a resolution to support
the Timmins Police Service Board's stance against the decriminalization of
marijuana.

It is a positive thing to see the city take a stand against what can only
be described as a band-aid solution.

There are many who are lobbying the federal government to decriminalize
marijuana for medicinal purposes.

But, what separates medical purposes from non-medical purposes?

Who will be accountable for determining who can use the drug and who can't?

Timmins Police Service Chief Denis Lavoie said if the Canadian government
decriminalizes the drug, it will send the wrong message to society's most
prized possession, its children, its future. By decriminalizing the drug,
it doesn't mean an end to endless drug wars between rival factions or the
end to society's war against drugs.

It doesn't mean an end to illegal marijuana growing operations.

It doesn't mean John Q. Public can walk down the street smoking marijuana
as though it were a regular cigarette.

In the end, it will only create more problems because it will mean anyone
can have access to the drug.

Law enforcement agencies across Canada spend endless hours investigating
drug-related crimes and arresting the culprits only to see the offenders
receive a slap on the wrist when he or she goes to court, Lavoie said.

According to the CACP, the only way they'd like to see marijuana
decriminalized is if the person who possesses the drug is still subjected
to some sort of fine.

Lavoie said this would save officers across the country hours of report
writing and free up the courts.

"The theory behind this concept is that officers could simply issue a
provincial offense notice on site requiring the individual to pay the set
fine or contest the matter in (a) court similar to a traffic violation,"
Lavoie said.

Either a total opposition or a fine-based use for marijuana will continue
to make users accountable for their actions.

It was a very commendable move by Timmins city council to see that
opposition to the decriminalization of marijuana is a no-brainer.
Congratulations to all who voted to support the police services board.