News (Media Awareness Project) - CN AB: Chasing Potheads Called Waste Of Time |
| Title: | CN AB: Chasing Potheads Called Waste Of Time |
| Published On: | 2001-11-05 |
| Source: | Edmonton Sun (CN AB) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-25 05:29:33 |
CHASING POTHEADS CALLED WASTE OF TIME
Canadian cops could catch more terrorists if they didn't have to waste time chasing potheads, a Canadian Alliance MP says.
Keith Martin is sponsoring a private member's bill to decriminalize small-scale marijuana possession, a move he said would free up scarce police resources to fight international terrorism.
"It will save about $150 million a year in Canada, I figure," the B.C. MP said yesterday.
"That money could be used to focus our police and judicial systems on dealing with more serious criminals like terrorists, rapists, murderers and pedophiles."
But even now that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have put police resources at a premium, Martin's proposal is still drawing fire from some in the Liberal party and from some of his own Alliance colleagues.
Edmonton Centre-East MP Peter Goldring said that while decriminalizing weed might free up police resources, the health care system would be furthered taxed by an increased number of potheads.
"It's an intoxicant. There's some wild and crazy strains out there," he said.
"People will be taken into emergency rooms for more auto accidents. Pot comes back to you - you put the music up and you start bopping to it. You don't need that in high-speed traffic. You're going to increase the number of deaths."
Liberal Senator Tommy Banks, a member of a special Senate committee that's reviewing Canada's anti-drug legislation and policies on cannabis, said he fears an explosion in cross-border shopping trips by American hemp fanciers if Canada loosens its pot law.
"You can't imagine what would be happening at border crossings. Americans would be flocking to Canada to buy pot," Banks said.
"It's all very well to say pot is a harmless drug, but it has more cancer-causing agents than cigarettes."
Martin said Canada spends about $200 million a year in law enforcement and court costs related to drug possession. About 75% of those possession charges have to do with weed. While Martin is "totally opposed to legalizing pot," he said pot possession charges shouldn't go through the "expensive court system."
Rather, people found with dope should simply be ticketed so police can go after "people who are a danger to society."
Martin's bill will be debated on Wednesday and could be voted on as earlier as December. Banks's committee report is due to come back to the Senate in August 2002.
Canadian cops could catch more terrorists if they didn't have to waste time chasing potheads, a Canadian Alliance MP says.
Keith Martin is sponsoring a private member's bill to decriminalize small-scale marijuana possession, a move he said would free up scarce police resources to fight international terrorism.
"It will save about $150 million a year in Canada, I figure," the B.C. MP said yesterday.
"That money could be used to focus our police and judicial systems on dealing with more serious criminals like terrorists, rapists, murderers and pedophiles."
But even now that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have put police resources at a premium, Martin's proposal is still drawing fire from some in the Liberal party and from some of his own Alliance colleagues.
Edmonton Centre-East MP Peter Goldring said that while decriminalizing weed might free up police resources, the health care system would be furthered taxed by an increased number of potheads.
"It's an intoxicant. There's some wild and crazy strains out there," he said.
"People will be taken into emergency rooms for more auto accidents. Pot comes back to you - you put the music up and you start bopping to it. You don't need that in high-speed traffic. You're going to increase the number of deaths."
Liberal Senator Tommy Banks, a member of a special Senate committee that's reviewing Canada's anti-drug legislation and policies on cannabis, said he fears an explosion in cross-border shopping trips by American hemp fanciers if Canada loosens its pot law.
"You can't imagine what would be happening at border crossings. Americans would be flocking to Canada to buy pot," Banks said.
"It's all very well to say pot is a harmless drug, but it has more cancer-causing agents than cigarettes."
Martin said Canada spends about $200 million a year in law enforcement and court costs related to drug possession. About 75% of those possession charges have to do with weed. While Martin is "totally opposed to legalizing pot," he said pot possession charges shouldn't go through the "expensive court system."
Rather, people found with dope should simply be ticketed so police can go after "people who are a danger to society."
Martin's bill will be debated on Wednesday and could be voted on as earlier as December. Banks's committee report is due to come back to the Senate in August 2002.
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