CANADA: OTTAWA: Prohibitions Perpetual Failure

2nd Note: Titled newshawk.

Viewed at:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/home/article/0,1299,DRMN_1_1121553,00.html

LAWS HAVE "ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT" ON POT-SMOKING YOUNG PEOPLE: SENATE COMMITTEE

OTTAWA (AP) _ Efforts to prevent marijuana use are having little impact,
and young Canadians are smoking up in greater numbers than ever, a Senate
report says.

An estimated 30 to 50 per cent of people 15 to 24 years old have used
cannabis despite its illegality, the report, released Thursday by the
Senate committee on illegal drugs, says.

After studying the pros and cons of pot use for 14 months, the committee
also concludes that scientific evidence suggests marijuana isn't a
so-called gateway drug that leads to the use of harder drugs.

The discussion paper, intended to guide public consultation on the
marijuana issues, indicates that millions of dollars in public money being
spent to combat pot is wasted.

There's a widespread perception that the federal government is reluctant to
decriminalize pot because of opposition from the United States, which
remains committed to prohibition.