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The420Guy
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OTTAWA - The federal government should take marijuana offences out of the
Criminal Code and allow the provinces to regulate its use according
to local cultural demands, a Senate committee heard Monday.
A leading psychologist from Simon Fraser University who has devoted
three decades to studying drug addiction said it's time Canada
developed it's own drug polices, independent of the war-on-drugs hype of
the United States.
"Canadian policy (on drugs) has simply followed the American policy,
lock step, from the beginning," Professor Bruce Alexander told a special Senate
committee that has launched a two-year inquiry into drug policy in
Canada.
Another professor, who was a member of the 1969 LeDain Commission into
drugs, went further, telling the committee Canada should legalize all
drugs and leave regulations in place to control only the price of
drugs, their quality and the age of the purchasers.
Marie-Andree Bertrand, now a professor emeritus of criminology at the
University of Montreal, said millions of Canadians use marijuana, or
cannabis, and if the law against its possession wwere rigorously
enforced, the justice system would collapse.
"What would they do with five million Canadians, if you brought them
before the courts tomorrow morning?" asked Bertrand.
She argued all drugs must be legalized to avoid an increase in
organized crime involvement with harder drugs such as cocaine and
heroin.
Alexander said research has proved cannabis is no more addictive than
many other vices, including gambling, alcohol and even sex.
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: April 24, 2001
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Page A9
Contact: sunletters@pacpress.southam.ca
Address: 200 Granville Street, Ste.#1, Vancouver BC V6C 3N3
Fax: (604) 605-2323
Website: Vancouver Sun
Author: Tim Naumetz
Criminal Code and allow the provinces to regulate its use according
to local cultural demands, a Senate committee heard Monday.
A leading psychologist from Simon Fraser University who has devoted
three decades to studying drug addiction said it's time Canada
developed it's own drug polices, independent of the war-on-drugs hype of
the United States.
"Canadian policy (on drugs) has simply followed the American policy,
lock step, from the beginning," Professor Bruce Alexander told a special Senate
committee that has launched a two-year inquiry into drug policy in
Canada.
Another professor, who was a member of the 1969 LeDain Commission into
drugs, went further, telling the committee Canada should legalize all
drugs and leave regulations in place to control only the price of
drugs, their quality and the age of the purchasers.
Marie-Andree Bertrand, now a professor emeritus of criminology at the
University of Montreal, said millions of Canadians use marijuana, or
cannabis, and if the law against its possession wwere rigorously
enforced, the justice system would collapse.
"What would they do with five million Canadians, if you brought them
before the courts tomorrow morning?" asked Bertrand.
She argued all drugs must be legalized to avoid an increase in
organized crime involvement with harder drugs such as cocaine and
heroin.
Alexander said research has proved cannabis is no more addictive than
many other vices, including gambling, alcohol and even sex.
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: April 24, 2001
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Page A9
Contact: sunletters@pacpress.southam.ca
Address: 200 Granville Street, Ste.#1, Vancouver BC V6C 3N3
Fax: (604) 605-2323
Website: Vancouver Sun
Author: Tim Naumetz