Pot politics: Let's get past the smokescreen

Source: Toronto Sun, 04/27/03

For decades now, a haze has hung over marijuana use in this country. Millions smoke it unabashedly, yet police still bust 30,000 Canadians a year for simple possession. A long list of government reports and court cases have called, to varying degrees, for the laws to change - but they haven't.

Until now. Canada's Justice Minister, Martin Cauchon, is poised to bring in legislation relaxing the law against simple possession this year - perhaps as early as this June.

But is Canada ready?

In a special week-long series beginning today, Sun Media reporters will explore that question, examining our pot laws and what changing them would mean to most Canadians.

The series' findings may surprise you. For instance, our exclusive Leger Marketing poll, conducted April 1-6, showed that, although only a minority of Canadians (35%) still believe that pot leads to harder drugs, a majority (56%) have never used it. Only 12% say they've smoked in the past year (though among 18-24-year-olds, that figure jumped to 36%).

Canadians are also deeply divided on what should be done about the laws. Most favour change, but there's great debate about how far it should go - whether to full legalization, decriminalization, or simply allowing the medical use of marijuana. (The poll results on that will be in tomorrow's paper.)

Perhaps that's why Cauchon isn't proposing dramatic change right now. As he tells the Sun's Bill Rodgers today, his new law will simply mean someone caught with a small amount of pot (likely around 10 grams, though that's yet to be decided) will get a ticket, instead of a criminal record.

That's it. Hardly the legal revolution pot advocates have clamoured for. You won't be buying pot at your local drug or liquor store anytime soon.

Yet even this small step toward decriminalization raises serious issues, some of which the feds have yet to tackle:

How do we deal with drivers who are stoned behind the wheel? (Cauchon admits there's no reliable sobriety test).

Should pot only be legal for adults? How will we deter children from using it? And if it's legal to buy it but not not sell it, won't that still leave recreational and medical users vulnerable to the organized-crime-controlled drug trade?

Proponents point out that decriminalizing simple possession will save taxpayers $300- 500 million a year - welcome news, although it pales in comparison to, say, the $1 billion the feds are blowing on their gun registry. Opponents, including many cops, say the laws are already flexible enough. And while it may not be as dangerous as tobacco or alcohol, medical experts have serious concerns about the health effects of pot use, especially on young people and the seriously ill.

We share these concerns, which is why we have long been wary of changing the pot laws. For too long, the debate has been hijacked by hysteria and extreme claims on both sides.

If new pot laws are coming, we must demand they be based on facts, and representative of the views and concerns of all Canadians, not just a few loud voices and special interests. So bring on the debate. It's time to clear the air.