DOOBIE, DOOBIE, DO!

Joint Law Dopey, Senate Committee Says In Report Urging Legalization Of Weed

A Senate committee believes that when it comes to joints, the only kind
that dope smokers should be dealing with is marijuana cigarettes, not jail.

The special committee recommended yesterday Canada legalize the use of
marijuana for those over 16 years old. Prohibition doesn't work; rather,
marijuana should be regulated in a way similar to alcohol, it said.

It also recommended amnesty for anyone with a criminal record for
possessing pot.

"Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is
substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a
criminal issue but as a social and public health issue," said committee
chairman Sen. Pierre Claude Nolin.

The report concluded marijuana was not a so-called gateway drug, one which
leads to the use of stronger drugs, although that's not the belief of the
Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), which opposes legalizing
any currently illicit drugs, including marijuana.

'Psychotropic'

"We feel there's convincing evidence that anyone who is trying to increase
the psychotropic effects, or get a bigger high, is going to explore the use
of cannabis before moving to something stronger," said the chairman of
CACP's drug abuse committee, Toronto Deputy Police Chief Mike Boyd.

However, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health says there's no
evidence prohibiting marijuana deters users from smoking up or helps them
to seek treatment.

Just as alcohol is not a harmful drug for everyone, neither is pot, said
the centre's vice-president of addiction programs, Dr. Patrick Smith, who's
pleased with the report's recommendation for properly funded drug research
and prevention and treatment programs.

Herb Kreling, head of the Canadian Association of Police Boards, believes a
solid national drug strategy should be established before pot is legalized.

"We don't have the resources to deal with the addictions and societal
problems," Kreling, also an Ottawa city councillor, said yesterday. "I
think there's a lot of things that are missing before we should get to this
(legalizing) stage, if at all."

The federal government is under no obligation to heed the recommendations.
The country's senators are appointed, not elected, and act mainly as
advisers on legislation and policy.

"There's going to be a lot of talk but I won't be able to walk down the
street anytime soon smoking a joint without fear of being arrested," said
Raymond Turmel, a Gatineau resident and marijuana activist.