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ELECTION KILLS MARIJUANA BILL

One blessing coming from the election call was that the horrendous marijuana bill, which decriminalized the possession of up to 15 grams of marijuana, died a well-deserved death on the Order Paper. Incidentally, 15 grams of marijuana amounts to approximately 30 joints. Even Belgium, one of the most liberal countries in the world, allows possession of only 3 grams of marijuana.

The proposed bill was not well thought out. It lacked integrity and proper analysis. If passed, it would have caused serious repercussions for Canada.

Even the very left-wing Bloc Quebecois admitted during the Parliamentary debate on the bill, that marijuana is harmful to health. However, the party supported the bill because the Bloc Quebecois believes, as stated in the debate, that marijuana smokers should not have a criminal record which may affect their ability to subsequently seek employment or to travel to other (saner) countries. Heaven forbid that the present law against marijuana should be properly enforced and that individuals be required to obey the law!

At the present time, police officers across the country are being frustrated by the leniency of the courts and of Crown prosecutors who fail to enforce the law. In large measure, marijuana charges are being "stayed". Why the federal government decided to soften the law on marijuana rather than strengthen its enforcement, remains a mystery. Certainly, there was no pressure from families and the police forces to soften the law. The drive behind this is strictly the Liberal government.

The problems with the proposed marijuana bill are enormous. The bill allows possession of 15 grams, which would result in only a ticket, similar to a traffic ticket, and a minor fine that is not even enforceable since there is no process included in the legislation for the collection of such fines. The bill also provides reduced fines for those under 18 years of age. This allows our adolescents to become traffickers without serious penalty - "easy" money for our youths!

Moreover, there are no roadside tests for marijuana use. Consequently, truck drivers or equipment operators who regularly use our highways, or anyone else who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle who uses marijuana, becomes a traffic hazard. And if there is alcohol mixed with marijuana, which is common - the situation, is even worse.

Another problem is that organized crime is now combining marijuana with methamphetamine to heighten the high. Methamphetamine has only been around for about a decade, but according to drug experts, 44% of those who smoke methamphetamine for the first time will be addicted for life. For those who smoke it twice, over 90% will be addicted for life (Hansard, March 8, 2004, p.1202, speech by Mr. Rob Merrifield (Yellowhead, Conservative)). What will this do to our "experimenting" youth who receive the message from this bill that marijuana is no "big deal"?

Conservative Party on the Offensive

To the credit of the opposition Conservative party, it went after this proposed marijuana bill with a vengeance, exposing many of its faults, to which the government had difficulty responding. At the same time, the polls were telling the Liberals that the issue of drugs was a loser for them in the coming election - especially voters with families.

Consequently, the marijuana bill languished at the bottom of the Order Paper where it has sat and sat since third reading debate, which took place on March 8, 2004. With the election call, the bill has now been killed.

This means that the new Parliament which will probably begin in September, will have to start all over again with a new bill on decriminalizing marijuana - that is, if the Liberals are returned to power. Even with a minority government, the Liberals could push such a disastrous bill through with the aid of the Bloc Quebecois and NDP. That's why every vote counts in the coming election!

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