DRUG CZAR TOUTED

A member of the combined forces Green Team - which cracks down on marijuana
grow operations - agrees with Edmonton's police chief that a drug czar is
needed to develop a national strategy to fight drug use.

RCMP Const. Dennis Hartl said it's a good idea because the strategy needs
to be "better co-ordinated across the country."

And sentences in each province should be equal for similar drug crimes, so
people aren't crossing borders to get lighter sentences, he said. "There
should be universal sentencing across Canada."

Police Chief Bob Wasylyshen also told The Sun this week he is "warm" to the
idea that people found with less than 30 grams of weed should be ticketed
instead of criminally charged, but only if the government introduces
programs to curb demand for the drug. This could include prevention,
education and treatment. Wasylyshen stressed he doesn't support legalizing
marijuana.

Hartl, however, said people who get busted for possessing small amounts of
marijuana usually get slapped with a fine, not a criminal record.

In Ottawa, federal Justice Department spokesman Irene Arseneau said she
couldn't speculate on whether the government would provide treatment and
education programs if personal-use pot possession is decriminalized. But
she noted two drug courts exist - in Toronto and in Vancouver - that let
offenders enter treatment instead of going to jail.

And that could wind up being a national program, she said.

Meanwhile, the Green Team searched an unoccupied home last week near 85
Street and 120 Avenue, seizing 350 marijuana plants with a street value of
$350,000, along with $10,000 in growing equipment.

Senh Chi Diep, 23, of Edmonton, has been charged with production of
marijuana and possession for the purpose of trafficking.