BREAKING NEWS: LEGALIZE AND REGULATE CANNABIS SAYS CANADIAN SENATE SPECIAL
COMMITTEE

What we have so far:

A low bandwidth real audio file - just over an hour long and with some echo
that makes it a little hard to listen to - of the committee press
conference is at http://drugpolicycentral.com/real/cmap/iddi.rm

CBS has it's report along with two video and one audio report linked at http://cbc.ca/stories/2002/09/04/pot_senate020904

This includes CBC Newsworld's Nancy Wilson talking with Eugene Oscapella, from the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy http://www.cfdp.ca/

Both DrugSense and POT-TV will be making additional audio/video clips
available.

CPAC (the Canadian version of CSPAN) will be rebroadcasting the committee
press conference as well as the Canadian Police Association negative
response in Windows Media Player format at 8 p.m., 11 p.m., and 1 a.m.
Eastern times today at http://www.cpac.ca/watchnow/index_e.asp

The entire 600 page report is available in both English and French by
looking for committee reports at this webpage: http://www.parl.gc.ca/ or by
going thru this page http://www.parl.gc.ca/illegal-drugs.asp to this page
for the English version

http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/Committee_SenRecentReps.asp?Language=E&Parl=37&Ses=1

or this webpage for the French version

http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/Committee_SenRecentReps.asp?Language=F&Parl=37&Ses=1

Here is the committee press release:

NEWS RELEASE

The Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs
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Senate Committee recommends legalization of cannabis OTTAWA, September 4,
2002 - The Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs today released its
final report on cannabis. In an exhaustive and comprehensive two-year study
of public policy related to marijuana, the Special Committee found that the
drug should be legalized. The 600 plus page Senate report is a result of
rigorous research, analysis and extensive public hearings in Ottawa and
communities throughout Canada with experts and citizens.

"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 Senator
Pierre Claude Nolin, Chair of the Special Committee, in a news conference
today in Ottawa. "Indeed, domestic and international experts and Canadians
from every walk of life told us loud and clear that we should not be
imposing criminal records on users or unduly prohibiting personal use of
cannabis. At the same time, make no mistake, we are not endorsing cannabis
use for recreational consumption. Whether or not an individual uses
marijuana should be a personal choice that is not subject to criminal
penalties. But we have come to the conclusion that, as a drug, it should
be regulated by the State much as we do for wine and beer, hence our
preference for legalization over decriminalization."

Among many observations, the Senate Report concludes that:

The Government of Canada should adopt an integrated policy on the risks and
harmful effects of psychoactive substances covering the whole range of
substances including cannabis, medications, alcohol, tobacco and illegal
drugs, focussing on educating users, detecting and preventing at-risk use
and treating excessive use.

As far as cannabis is concerned, only behaviour causing demonstrable harm
to others should be prohibited: illegal trafficking, selling to young
people under the age of sixteen and impaired driving.

Legislation for a cannabis exemption scheme should be introduced
stipulating conditions for obtaining licences, producing and selling
cannabis; criminal penalties for illegal trafficking and export; and the
preservation of criminal penalties for all activities falling outside the
scope of the exemption scheme.

Present medicinal marijuana provisions are not effective and must be
revised to provide greater access for those in need.

Amnesty should be provided for any person convicted of possession of
cannabis under current or past legislation.

In its extensive report, the Special Committee suggests a number of
specific initiatives for implementing its recommendations such as: creation
of a National Advisor on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency within the
Privy Council Office;

a high-level conference of key stakeholders from the provinces,
territories, municipalities and associations in 2003 to set goals and
priorities for action;

creation of a Canadian Centre on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency
with a strong, clear mandate, adequately funded and reporting to Parliament
and with a Monitoring Agency on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency to
conduct studies with the provinces and territories and table a bi-annual
report on drug-use trends and emerging problems;

amendments to the Marijuana Medical Access Regulations to provide new rules
regarding eligibility, availability, production and distribution with
respect to cannabis for therapeutic purposes;

amendment to the Criminal Code to lower permitted alcohol levels to 40
milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in the presence of other
drugs, especially, but not exclusively cannabis; and

Canada seeking amendments to United Nations conventions and treaties
governing illegal drugs and supporting the development of a Drugs and
Dependency Monitoring Agency for the Americas.

The Committee also examined the international obligations and repercussions
of Canada's cannabis policies as well as approaches taken by other
countries. It studied the impact of more liberal policy approaches to
cannabis in countries such as the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain along
with more restrictive policies such as Sweden, France or the United
States. There is a clear international trend to reassessing domestic drug
policy such as recent initiatives toward decriminalization in the United
Kingdom. Deputy Chair Senator Colin Kenny points out that "though what we
are recommending for our country has an impact on our friends and
neighbours, Canada must make its own decisions in the best interests of its
citizens."

The Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs is chaired by Senator Pierre
Claude Nolin with Senator Colin Kenny as deputy-chair. Also serving on the
Committee are Senators Tommy Banks, Shirley Maheu and Eileen Rossiter. The
Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs maintains an Internet web site at
http://www.parl.gc.ca/illegal-drugs.asp. where proceedings, testimony,
research, general information and its report can be found.

For further information:

David Newman Jean-Guy Desgagne Phone: (613) 836-6039 Phone: (613) 791-7936
Mobile: (613) 795-1739 Fax: (613) 836-5370

E-mail: dnewman@sympatico.ca

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation 1 The Committee recommends that the position of National
Advisor on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency be created within the
Privy Council Office; that the Advisor be supported by a small secretariat
and that the necessary staff be assigned by federal departments and
agencies involved with psychoactive substances on request.

Recommendation 2 The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada
mandate the National Advisor on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency to
call a high-level conference of key stakeholders from the provinces,
territories, municipalities and associations in 2003, to set goals and
priorities for action on psychoactive substances over a five-year period.

Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada amend the enabling
legislation of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse to change the
Centre's name to the Canadian Centre on Psychoactive Substances and
Dependency ; make the Centre accountable to Parliament; provide the Centre
with an annual basic operating budget of $15 million to be increased
annually; require the Centre to table an annual report on actions taken,
key issues, research and trends in Parliament and in the provincial and
territorial legislatures; mandate the Centre to ensure national
coordination of research on psychoactive substances and dependency and to
conduct studies into specific issues; and mandate the Centre to undertake
an assessment of the national strategy on psychoactive substance and
dependency every five years.

Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends that, in the legislation creating the Canadian
Centre on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency, the Government of Canada
specifically include provision for the setting up of a Monitoring Agency on
Psychoactive Substances and Dependency within the Centre; provide that the
Monitoring Agency be mandated to conduct studies every two years, in
cooperation with relevant bodies, on drug-use trends and dependency
problems in the adult population; work with the provinces and territories
towards increased harmonization of studies of the student population and to
ensure they are carried out every two years; conduct ad hoc studies on
specific issues; and table a bi-annual report on drug-use trends and
emerging problems.

Recommendation 5 The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada
adopt an integrated policy on the risks and harmful effects of psychoactive
substances covering the whole range of substances (medication, alcohol,
tobacco and illegal drugs). With respect to cannabis, this policy should
focus on educating users, detecting and preventing at-risk use and treating
excessive use.

Recommendation 6

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada amend the Controlled
Drugs and Substances Act to create a criminal exemption scheme. This
legislation should stipulate the conditions for obtaining licences as well
as for producing and selling cannabis; criminal penalties for illegal
trafficking and export; and the preservation of criminal penalties for all
activities falling outside the scope of the exemption scheme.

Recommendation 7

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada declare an amnesty
for any person convicted of possession of cannabis under current or past
legislation.

Recommendation 8 The Committee recommends that the Marijuana Medical Access
Regulations be amended to provide new rules regarding eligibility,
production and distribution with respect to cannabis for therapeutic
purposes. In addition, research on cannabis for therapeutic purposes is
essential.

Recommendation 9

The Committee recommends that the Criminal Code be amended to lower
permitted alcohol levels to 40 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of
blood, in the presence of other drugs, especially, but not exclusively
cannabis; and to admit evidence from expert police officers trained in
detecting persons operating vehicles under the influence of drugs.

Recommendation 10

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada create a national
fund for research on psychoactive substances and dependency to fund
research on key issues, more particularly on various types of use, on the
therapeutic applications of cannabis, on tools for detecting persons
operating vehicles under the influence of drugs and on effective prevention
and treatment programs; that the Government of Canada mandate the Canadian
Centre on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency to co-ordinate national
research and serve as a resource centre.

Recommendation 11

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada instruct the
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to inform the
appropriate United Nations authorities that Canada is requesting an
amendment to the conventions and treaties governing illegal drugs; and that
the development of a Drugs and Dependency Monitoring Agency for the
Americas be supported by the Government of Canada.

Newshawks: This report and it's recommendations will result in considerable
news and opinion reports in Canada - and we hope in the U.S. and worldwide.
Please help us to find and distribute the stories. Letter to the Editor
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