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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Canada: New Marijuana Law Could Be Delayed, Senator Says
ccguide Monday 19 May 2003 Pubdate: Mon, 19 May 2003 Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU) Copyright: 2003 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc. Contact: Website: http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274 Author: Rick Mofina Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) NEW MARIJUANA LAW COULD BE DELAYED, SENATOR SAYS 'Probably by Christmas we'll have new amendments,' committee chief Nolin tells Ottawa TV program Canadians probably won't see the federal government's new marijuana law until late this year, says a senator who headed a committee calling for the relaxation of penalties for pot users. "Probably by Christmas we'll have new amendments," Tory Senator Pierre-Claude Nolin told Ottawa Inside Out, Global TV's Sunday morning news program. Justice Minister Martin Cauchon had been poised to introduce long-promised legislation this month that would relax marijuana laws by removing possession of less than 15 grams from the Criminal Code. "He was supposed to do it this week. It was postponed to some time before the adjournment in June," Nolin said, adding that it now appears unlikely until the end of the year. Nolin, chairperson of a Senate committee that recommended a form of legalization where marijuana would be controlled and sold in much the same way as wine, said Canada's objective has not been explained properly to wary U.S. officials in Washington. "Here in Canada we're going to have depenalization, smaller sanctions for an illegal action," said Nolin, adding that some U.S. states have done the same thing. "We have to explain to them (the U.S.) what are our objectives." Police across Canada are concerned about the government's move to ease its laws on what is now illicit drug use, Mike Niebudek, vice-president of the Canadian Police Association, told the program. "There has to be a threshold. There has to be a line drawn somewhere and right now the line is being drawn at the marijuana level," Niebudek said. "For some people, especially children, what we're sending is a strong message that society is not tolerating the possession of marijuana right now." Niebudek said easing Canada's pot possession law would lead to abuse of harder drugs. Nolin disagreed. The confusion over Canada's pot laws was compounded Friday by Ontario Superior Court Justice Steven Rogin's ruling that possessing less than 30 grams of marijuana is no longer against the law in Ontario. Niebudek said the law still stands until the Supreme Court of Canada rules on Rogin's decision, which is likely to be appealed to the high court. In an effort to win over nervous Liberal colleagues, Cauchon has emphasized the bill will also include stiffer penalties against drug traffickers and marijuana grow operations. The federal government is said to be considering fining small-time marijuana users as little as $100. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager
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