FLAGRANT POT USE WOULD LEAD TO ARRESTS: TOP COP

An Obvious Bust?

Marijuana may not be decriminalized in law, but it's often decriminalized
in practice, says Barrie's top cop.

"I wouldn't be shocked or outraged if marijuana was decriminalized.
Enforcement of users is virtually non-existent. It's typically the
traffickers (police target)," said Police Chief Wayne Frechette.

"In order for you to get arrested for smoking a doob, you'd have to walk
down the main street, draw the attention of police and get searched."

Discussion of making smoking and possessing marijuana a ticketable offence,
as opposed to a criminal one, heated up late last week, after Canada's
Justice Minister Martin Cauchon admitted he'd not only smoked pot, he had
also inhaled - and more than once. Canada's law now deems pot possession
illegal, and that can result in a criminal record, with the possibility of
jail. A criminal record could have a number of negative results, including
being unable to cross the border into the USA.

Cauchon said that perhaps it's time to update the law and decriminalize
pot, which could allow police forces to focus on harder drugs and
trafficking, as has recently been done in Britain. "We're not talking about
making it legal. We're talking about the possibility of moving ahead with
what we call the decriminalization of that," said Cauchon.

"It would still be illegal. It wouldn't be criminal, of course; but it
would still be illegal. (The law would be) easier to apply. You would get a
contravention (ticket) and you would have to pay something. I guess we
would be maybe more effective, more efficient in proceeding that way.

"Very often the legislation will simply not be applied," depending on where
you live across Canada, said Cauchon.

Before introducing any new legislation, Cauchon said he wants to hear from
a Senate committee and a Commons' committee which are now examining
Canada's cannabis laws. Any change would require a lengthy period of public
consultation beforehand, he added.

But smoking pot is becoming more socially acceptable than ever, according
to a study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. The study showed
marijuana use rising during the past decade, especially in adults ages 30
to 39, with 12.3 per cent of them admitting they smoke. More 40 to 49 year
olds are also lighting up, with 6.4 per cent saying they do, as compared
with three per cent in 1992.

Frechette told The Advance he doesn't see marijuana as a "gateway" drug. "A
very high percentage of cocaine and heroine users started with marijuana,
but what does that tell us? If you're inclined to use hard drugs, you use
whatever is available. I'm not a proponent of the gateway theory."