COPS TAKE POT-SHOTS AT LAX DRUG LAWS

Canada's police chiefs might not support limited pot decriminalization if
they walked in the shoes of some street-level cops, says the head of the
Canadian Police Association.

"The rank-and-file police are in the trenches. We see the harm caused to
people first hand," said Grant Obst. "We're not in any upper-floor office,
viewing it from a paper point of view."

And that's why the police association refuses to support loosening any of
Canada's drug laws, even though the Canadian Association of Chiefs of
Police has called for changes, Obst said.

"The chiefs' job is to ensure that resources are deployed in the most
efficient way they can be, and that is their priority."

Obst said police believe decriminalizing the possession of even small
amounts of pot for personal use encourages kids to experiment with
marijuana, which can lead to harder drug use. It also would lead to
increased impaired driving, he said.

"The chiefs' position is that we waste resources in trying to enforce this
possession law, and I'm saying, no we don't."

But the 12-year chairman of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
drug committee said his group wants people found with less than 30 grams of
weed to be ticketed instead of criminally charged.

The chiefs only support decriminalizing small possession amounts for
personal use in conjunction with a government-sponsored drug education
program for students and proper health support for drug users, said
Brockville, Ont., police Chief Barry King.

His association doesn't condone drug use of any kind, "but we believe that
the penalty for personal use only is excessive," King said. "The criminal
record is onerous on people that are experimenting or trying it once in a
while."

But King said his association believes Canadian Alliance MP Keith Martin's
private member's bill to decriminalize pot goes too far, because it lessens
penalties for larger amounts.

A Senate committee and a House of Commons committee are examining
non-medical drug use in Canada.