A York University law professor says the prime minister may be trying to please the U.S. by not reintroducing legislation that would have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana.

"Harper wants to mend fences with Bush," said Alan Young, who has been involved in many of Canada's landmark marijuana cases. "I think it's a mistake for the country, and I regret that it's happening after so much work has been done."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the Canadian Professional Police Association on Monday that there are no plans to reintroduce the former Liberal government's draft legislation on marijuana possession. It would have made getting caught with small amounts of marijuana punishable by a citation, much like a traffic ticket.

The police association audience responded warmly to Harper's announcement but the news played a little differently at the Friendly Stranger Headshop on Toronto's Queen Street. The shop clerk said police have better things to do.

"To have all these people in jail for only possessing small amounts for personal use, or even medicinal use, I think that money could be put to more useful things," he said.

Harper acknowledges that U.S. authorities were concerned decriminalizing marijuana would weaken their efforts to curb drug exports, but the prime minister said his government also wants to prevent children here from gaining access to drugs like marijuana.