There is one week left before a new federal election begins in Canada. That election will kill the bill (Bill C-10) to decriminalize marijuana, leaving one of Jean Chrétien's legacy issues out in the cold and pot smokers still facing potential jail terms, government insiders say. A federal election dissolves the Parliament and kills all the bills that have not been passed; the next government would have to start anew from introduction in the Commons.The proposed law would have removed jail terms for the simple possession of less than 15 grams of marijuana. Those caught with pot in that quantity would have faced the equivalent of a traffic ticket, costing $100 to $500. It means that the decriminalization of marijuana, first debated in the 1970s and proposed as law last year, will be left for a new Parliament to start all over again. While certainly a step in the right direction the bill was not popular with many reformers including Canadian Senator Claude Nolin, who favors outright legalization rather than decriminalization.

Monday, May 10, 2004
Vancouver Sun
Amy O'Brian - Vancouver Sun

Beyond Prohibition group says making pot legal and levying hefty taxes
would benefit national economy

VANCOUVER - A senator, a former police officer and Vancouver's mayor
were among those calling for the legalization of marijuana at a
weekend conference.

The diverse crowd at Beyond Prohibition, a conference put on by the
B.C. Civil Liberties Association, gathered early Saturday morning to
hear arguments for the legalization of marijuana, and to exchange
ideas on how to make legalization successful.

Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell started off the day with a personal
disclaimer that he has never "inhaled," followed by a bold proposal
for legalization.

"I would legalize this and tax the living hell out of it," Campbell
said. "And I would ensure that every single dollar, every dollar of
that tax went into the health care system."

Similar sentiments were shared by the other speakers, who argued that
lifting the marijuana prohibition would benefit the national economy, boost
tax revenue, and free up police resources to target organized crime and
others who profit from the current illegal drug trade.

Walter McKay, a former Vancouver police officer who is now working on a PhD
at the University of B.C., argued that all illegal drugs -- not just
marijuana -- should be legalized and regulated.

"Far too much time, money and resources are being spent keeping a
product away that the public wants," he said in an interview after his
presentation.

"We tried this with prohibition 70 years ago and failed miserably. All
we did was make Al Capone a multimillionaire. We just never learned."

If drugs were legalized and dispensed responsibly, McKay said, police
could turn their focus to stopping organized crime.

"That's where policing is required. We need to stop these shootings
and killings."

McKay envisions a world where marijuana would be sold to adults only
at regulated outlets such as liquor stores, while harder drugs such as
heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines would be available through
doctors and pharmacists.

"It's a social issue and it's been made a criminal issue for over 30
years and we've seen the results of it," he said.

Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, chairman of the Senate Special Committee
on Illegal Drugs, argued that prohibition's consequences have gone
"way beyond health problems and the growth of organized crime" and now
threaten "the basis of democracy, economy and the rule of law in many
countries or regions of the world."

Nolin said he lobbied former prime minister Jean Chretien and is
lobbying current Prime Minister Paul Martin to legalize marijuana in a
responsible, regulated manner that would incorporate policies on
education and prevention.

Despite his push for legalization, Nolin is opposed to Bill C-10,
which would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of
marijuana.

The legislation would mean people could not be charged with a criminal
offence for possessing pot, but could be given a ticket.

Instead, Nolin would like to see absolute legalization.

"When the policy is zero tolerance, it's stupid."

Nolin said adequate education and prevention programs cannot be
established with a zero tolerance policy and the federal government
needs to listen to the public's demands for legalization.

"Government reacts to populations. It's not the other way around," he
said.

Campbell Wants to Tax Marijuana Sales

Sunday, May 9th, 2004
by Ian Bailey
The (Vancouver) Province

Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell says marijuana sales should be taxed and the
revenue used to fund treatment for the effects of more serious drugs.

Campbell made the suggestion yesterday in a speech to the annual meeting of
the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association.

"Taxes levied on marijuana sales could add to the resources for treatment.
Remember, the B.C. marijuana trade is estimated at $6 billion annually --
larger than construction or forestry," Campbell said.

The former Mountie also noted that enforcement money freed up from
legalizing pot could support treatment and better policing of other crimes.

The mayor said he was calling for the regulated sale of marijuana along the
lines of the way that sales are managed for tobacco, alcohol and other
drugs.

He cited the case of Amsterdam, noting that the status quo there is
legal-but-regulated cultivation and sales.

He said studies show fewer residents of the Netherlands than, for example,
Americans, have actually tried marijuana, and cannabis use among Dutch
schoolchildren has fallen.

"The conclusion is pretty clear: legal, regulated sale of marijuana may
actually produce less consumption," he said.

Campbell said he is opposed to decriminalization because it does not deal
with "real criminals" such as the dealers and the crimes they create.

"What would legal marijuana look like? Not a perfect world, by any means,
but I believe a better one," he said.