LOCAL POLICE BLAST POT STUDY

Legalizing Marijuana Would Only Create More Problems, Say Forces

WOODSTOCK -- Oxford County's two largest police forces are strongly opposed
to a Senate committee recommendation that marijuana be legalized, saying it
wouldn't solve any real problems and would actually create new ones.

Both Oxford Community Police Chief Ron Fraser and OPP Staff-Sgt. Dennis
Edlington said there are still problems associated with alcohol and tobacco
even though they are legal.

"I don't think it's an appropriate legislation," Fraser said yesterday. "My
belief is that it is an addictive drug, just like alcohol. And just like
alcohol, it is the stem of certain criminal activities. I don't think
legalizing it is going to eliminate those activities."

According to OPP headquarters, the force's official position is opposed to
legalizing the drug but not to more lenient penalties for possession of
smaller quantities.

Both said they believed illegal growing operations would continue. With
growers able to make up to $1 million a year from one operation, they feel
it would be difficult for legal distributors to undercut those who aren't
being taxed.

"The government has turned a problem into a source of revenue," Edlington
said. "They've turned a blind eye to all the problems surrounding
(legalizing marijuana)."

Edlington was worried about the potential impaired drivers who would be
hitting the streets stoned.

"If they're driving under the influence, how do we measure it?" he asked.
"With marijuana we don't have a device to measure it."

The two also questioned what kind of message legalizing marijuana would
send to children since anti-drug messages are a huge part of their
educational efforts.

Fraser also felt that the government would be sending mixed messages if it
decided to adopt the recommendation because it would be undermining its
continuous efforts to cut down on cigarette smoking, especially amongst kids.

Edlington said it wouldn't be long until kids who are hanging around street
corners smoking cigarettes during school hours would be smoking pot.

"It'll be in our schools," he warned.

Both agreed that their respective forces would continue anti-drug
operations until ordered to stop.

"It isn't law yet," Fraser said. "We will carry on until the legislation we
use to enter residences, search people and make arrests is removed."

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon addressed the issue Thursday, saying
decriminalizing marijuana might be a "first step" in reforming drug laws
which seem out of date, though he stopped short of advocating legalization.

The marijuana law needs to be changed, he said, and decriminalization -
which would let people possess and use small quantities of cannabis without
facing a criminal record - is a logical option.

"I feel that there is a strong support. I feel that the population is
there," he said. "To keep it the way it is now doesn't make any sense to me
in the year 2002. The legislation in place is sort of disconnected with
Canadian reality."

Cauchon's musing didn't sit well with Canadian Alliance Leader Stephen
Harper, who told reporters he'd rather see his kids drinking booze than
smoking pot.

Harper, father of a three-year-old girl and five-year-old boy, said he
doesn't buy the argument that alcohol is more harmful than marijuana.

"As a parent, I would be more concerned about pot use than alcohol use by
my children, even in moderation," said Harper, an asthmatic who has never
smoked.

Cauchon said he'll have a new policy ready early next year, but first he
wants to see the report of a Commons committee which has been studying the
issue of illicit drugs. That report is expected in November.

The United States disagrees with the Senate report's findings that cannabis
is less harmful than alcohol and causes few, if any, long-term problems.

John Walters, director of the U.S. national drug control policy, disputed
those findings in a statement Wednesday: "We know that marijuana is a
harmful drug, particularly for young people."

Cauchon said he hasn't had any reaction from Washington on the issue and
said he wouldn't be swayed by American policies.

"I'll do what's good for Canadian society."