Senate committee recommends legalizing pot
Canada should legalize marijuana use for anyone over 16 and offer amnesty for those convicted of pot possession, a Senate committee recommended Wednesday.
The committee would like to see Ottawa regulate cannabis and allow for its sale in much the same way that beer and wine are sold.
"Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue," Senator Pierre Nolin, the committee chair, told a news conference Wednesday morning.
Nolin said using marijuana should be a "personal choice" that does not lead to criminal conviction.
Some 600,000 Canadians have been convicted of simple possession and the committee says their records should be wiped clean.
A House of Commons committee is expected to issue a report in November and the government isn't likely to unveil its position until early next year.
Police surprised by recommendation
Sergeant Grant Learned, the B.C. RCMP's media spokesman, says Mounties are surprised by the committee's recommendation. He says there is still plenty of debate about the negative effects of the drug. And he adds that police believe the distribution of marijuana is used to foster other criminal activities.
A group representing Canadian municipal police groups denounced the idea of legalizing of marijuana earlier this year, and urged the federal government to create a national drug strategy.
"Sending a message to our young people that marijuana is not harmful, or can be used safely, when there is scientific evidence to the contrary, is not responsible," David Griffin, the executive officer of the Canadian Police Association, told a news conference. He cited studies indicating that marijuana is more harmful than alcohol to human health.
Griffin called for a meeting to develop a national strategy on the marijuana issue, before any laws are changed.
Marijuana advocates hailed the recommendation, but said they didn't believe any changes would be made to laws in the near future.
"The big challenge, now, is to see those recommendations translated in the reality,'' said Marc Boris Saint-Maurice, leader of the Marijuana Party.
"The government is responsible for that part, and we all know that the government don't like to address sensitive issues,'' he said.
Other supporters say it's time the stigma be removed from smoking pot.
"People who smoke pot have been burdened by the attitude by our government that we're criminals," said Bruce Langer.
Senator Colin Kenny, co-chairman of the special committee on illegal drugs, admits that studies from other countries suggest marijuana use would rise if the drug were made legal. But he adds that such a rise would be short-lived.
Kenny predicts legalization would ultimately result in less recreational use of marijuana.
Dr. Henry Haddad, former president of the Canadian Medical Association, discussed the issue with Lisa LaFlamme on Canada AM. He said that if marijuana is legalized, the move should be accompanied by a national drug strategy.
Haddad testified at the Senate hearings in favour of decriminalizing marijuana. Haddad told LaFlamme that marijuana is a health issue and not a criminal one. He said the Canadian system needs to switch its focus to prevention and treatment. And he said the literature has shown that decriminalizing marijuana does not lead to increased use or harder drugs.
But he cautioned that decriminalizing should only be done gradually and if accompanied by a national strategy aimed at preventing people from smoking the drug. Haddad said that six to seven per cent of the population smokes marijuana, while 10 per cent of that group could be considered addicted.
Earlier this summer, Justice Minister Martin Cauchon told the Canadian Bar Association that he was not interested in legalizing marijuana. Cauchon hinted at the group's annual meeting that he may investigating whether to relax the country's marijuana laws, but he made it clear that he was talking about decriminalizing pot -- not making it legal.
Cauchon said he would consult widely with Canadians and law enforcement agencies before making a decision.
"I believe it's time for an open discussion about modernizing the criminal justice system in this regard," he said.
Medicinal pot laws up in the air
At Wednesday's news conference, the Senate committee also said the country's laws for medicinal marijuana need to be revised.
Last year, the federal government stipulated that a person wanting to use medical marijuana to relieve pain and stimulate appetite must supply declarations from as many as two medical specialists. The only exception involves terminally ill patients expected to die within a year.
Health Minister Anne McLellan has said she won't consider releasing any of the government marijuana being grown in an old mine in Flin Flon, Man., until clinical trials have been completed.
"I take very seriously the fact that we're called the Department of Health," McLellan said last month.
Overall, she said more clarification was needed before Ottawa goes ahead with a controversial plan to distribute medicinal pot.
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Canada should legalize marijuana use for anyone over 16 and offer amnesty for those convicted of pot possession, a Senate committee recommended Wednesday.
The committee would like to see Ottawa regulate cannabis and allow for its sale in much the same way that beer and wine are sold.
"Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue," Senator Pierre Nolin, the committee chair, told a news conference Wednesday morning.
Nolin said using marijuana should be a "personal choice" that does not lead to criminal conviction.
Some 600,000 Canadians have been convicted of simple possession and the committee says their records should be wiped clean.
A House of Commons committee is expected to issue a report in November and the government isn't likely to unveil its position until early next year.
Police surprised by recommendation
Sergeant Grant Learned, the B.C. RCMP's media spokesman, says Mounties are surprised by the committee's recommendation. He says there is still plenty of debate about the negative effects of the drug. And he adds that police believe the distribution of marijuana is used to foster other criminal activities.
A group representing Canadian municipal police groups denounced the idea of legalizing of marijuana earlier this year, and urged the federal government to create a national drug strategy.
"Sending a message to our young people that marijuana is not harmful, or can be used safely, when there is scientific evidence to the contrary, is not responsible," David Griffin, the executive officer of the Canadian Police Association, told a news conference. He cited studies indicating that marijuana is more harmful than alcohol to human health.
Griffin called for a meeting to develop a national strategy on the marijuana issue, before any laws are changed.
Marijuana advocates hailed the recommendation, but said they didn't believe any changes would be made to laws in the near future.
"The big challenge, now, is to see those recommendations translated in the reality,'' said Marc Boris Saint-Maurice, leader of the Marijuana Party.
"The government is responsible for that part, and we all know that the government don't like to address sensitive issues,'' he said.
Other supporters say it's time the stigma be removed from smoking pot.
"People who smoke pot have been burdened by the attitude by our government that we're criminals," said Bruce Langer.
Senator Colin Kenny, co-chairman of the special committee on illegal drugs, admits that studies from other countries suggest marijuana use would rise if the drug were made legal. But he adds that such a rise would be short-lived.
Kenny predicts legalization would ultimately result in less recreational use of marijuana.
Dr. Henry Haddad, former president of the Canadian Medical Association, discussed the issue with Lisa LaFlamme on Canada AM. He said that if marijuana is legalized, the move should be accompanied by a national drug strategy.
Haddad testified at the Senate hearings in favour of decriminalizing marijuana. Haddad told LaFlamme that marijuana is a health issue and not a criminal one. He said the Canadian system needs to switch its focus to prevention and treatment. And he said the literature has shown that decriminalizing marijuana does not lead to increased use or harder drugs.
But he cautioned that decriminalizing should only be done gradually and if accompanied by a national strategy aimed at preventing people from smoking the drug. Haddad said that six to seven per cent of the population smokes marijuana, while 10 per cent of that group could be considered addicted.
Earlier this summer, Justice Minister Martin Cauchon told the Canadian Bar Association that he was not interested in legalizing marijuana. Cauchon hinted at the group's annual meeting that he may investigating whether to relax the country's marijuana laws, but he made it clear that he was talking about decriminalizing pot -- not making it legal.
Cauchon said he would consult widely with Canadians and law enforcement agencies before making a decision.
"I believe it's time for an open discussion about modernizing the criminal justice system in this regard," he said.
Medicinal pot laws up in the air
At Wednesday's news conference, the Senate committee also said the country's laws for medicinal marijuana need to be revised.
Last year, the federal government stipulated that a person wanting to use medical marijuana to relieve pain and stimulate appetite must supply declarations from as many as two medical specialists. The only exception involves terminally ill patients expected to die within a year.
Health Minister Anne McLellan has said she won't consider releasing any of the government marijuana being grown in an old mine in Flin Flon, Man., until clinical trials have been completed.
"I take very seriously the fact that we're called the Department of Health," McLellan said last month.
Overall, she said more clarification was needed before Ottawa goes ahead with a controversial plan to distribute medicinal pot.
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