LEGALIZATION DEBATE SPARKS POLICE CONCERN

Local News - KAWARTHA LAKES - The idea of legalizing marijuana has sparked a
flame in local law enforcement agencies as the Senate proposes the idea once
again.

The call for legalizing the substance refers to allowing the production and
sale of marijuana to any Canadian over 16-years-old.

Kawartha Lakes Police Service Chief Randy Martin said he has great concern
over hearing nothing more from the Senate other than they are considering
the legalization of the drug. He is also concerned with, should the
government choose to legalize the drug, how enforcement agencies expect to
regulate the use of the drug.

"How do you regulate acceptable behaviour as a result of getting high on
marijuana in reference to motor vehicles and such?" asked Martin. "Is it
acceptable to have a physician operating on you having smoked a marijuana
cigarette? And how does one monitor an acceptable limit in society as is the
case with alcohol."

Martin recognizes that the future could bring some kind of legalization of
the drug, with the daily charges of drug possession in society today.

"Because of our daily burden from possession of narcotic charges in court, I
fully expect that the government may well cause it to be dealt with by
virtue of issuing a ticket if you had under a certain amount in your
possession and in the past it was suggested to the government that perhaps,
an acceptable amount may be around 30 grams, which would be equivalent to
three cigarettes," said Martin.

City of Kawartha Lakes Detachment Commander Gary Couture is also opposed to
the legalization of the drug, and says that even with the amount of drug
charges, there has to be some other way.

"There's a lot of people in custody, in correctional facilities, but there
may be other solutions without going to the legalization aspect," he said.
For the complete story, check out the September 6 edition of the Daily Post.