Federal government committed to marijuana decriminalization: Martin 21/07/2004 3:14:00 PM

OTTAWA (CP) - The federal government is committed to marijuana decriminalization and will reintroduce legislation to make it happen, Prime Minister Paul Martin said in his first statement on the issue since winning re-election.

The Liberal government will bring back a bill that died with the election call and re-table it after Parliament resumes sitting in October, he said Wednesday following a meeting of his new cabinet. "The legislation on marijuana - the decriminalization of minor quantities of marijuana - that legislation will be introduced."

According to the original bill, anyone caught with 15 grams of pot or less would receive a ticket instead of criminal charges. But those caught trafficking more than 15 grams would receive harsher penalties.

Critics say the bill could lead to more cases of intoxicated driving and cause traffic snarls at the Canada-U.S. border while American customs agents intensify their search for drugs.

They also bemoan the 15-gram ceiling for non-criminal use, calculating that it would become legal for someone to carry more than 30 joints at a time.

Detractors have already successfully lobbied the government to drive down the initial maximum amount from 30 grams. Some felt the original limit was so high that it practically made drug-dealing legal.

Wednesday's announcement came on the same day as a study concluded that the number of Canadians who have used marijuana or hashish nearly doubled in 13 years.

In 2002, an estimated 12.2 per cent of Canadians admitted to smoking marijuana - up from 6.5 per cent in 1989, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday.

But Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh, sworn into cabinet just one day earlier, dismissed the suggestion that decriminalization would lead to greater use.

"I'm not so sure whether that argument has any validity. I don't know what the correlation is," he said after attending his first federal cabinet meeting.

"My view is that, if you make something illegal, some people are more attracted to it. . .If you allow people to possess it in small quantities for personal use, the allure kind of disappears for some people."

Martin had also said while campaigning for the June 28 election that he planned to reintroduce the marijuana bill.

[url=http://g.msn.com/0US!s6.73430_734763/32.c7341/2??cm=TodayonMSN]LINK[/url]

This will have to happen: [img]http://www.visitorsnet.com/canadaflag.jpg[/img]

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

The americans are going to hate us even more now.. First we don't go to war with them and now we are going to supply their whole country with weed...:D

sweet. :? more nonsensical drug addicts.

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

30 joints from 15 grams....they must be pinners!!!! (or mostly tobacco) :Blazed: :Tongue:

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

Canada Kicks ass....IF it wasnt so damn cold there i would move there in a second....

BC BUD BABY!!

I wish the United States would follow suit. We have spent an astronomical sum of money on this failed 'War on Drugs' most of which is centered around marijuana. We have incarcerated countless citizens and sent them away in many cases longer than convicted murderers, rapists, and child molestors. I wish the attitudes of our politicians would change but it's going to be difficult to do because when one does speak out they end up facing a firestorm of controversy because of their views. I'm not a drug-user and I hardly drink alcohol (wine on special dinner occassions), I'm just a rational U.S. citizen who understands that our tax money and law enforcement have better uses than fighting a war they cannot and will not win.

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

[quote=chanty]30 joints from 15 grams....they must be pinners!!!! (or mostly tobacco) :Blazed: :Tongue:[/quote]

correct me if i'mk wrong, but 15g = 0.529 oz = plenty for 30 pretty meaty joints with no tobacco i would have thought

i still don't understand why weed is sold by the gram in the US where you have imperial, and by the ounce in the UK where we have metric. fucked up that is.

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

[quote=xeb][quote=chanty]30 joints from 15 grams....they must be pinners!!!! (or mostly tobacco) :Blazed: :Tongue:[/quote]

correct me if i'mk wrong, but 15g = 0.529 oz = plenty for 30 pretty meaty joints with no tobacco i would have thought

[b]i still don't understand why weed is sold by the gram in the US where you have imperial, and by the ounce in the UK where we have metric. fucked up that is.[/b][/quote]

You've got me, many things here don't make much sense. I frown upon drug use! :wink:

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

[quote=xeb][quote=chanty]30 joints from 15 grams....they must be pinners!!!! (or mostly tobacco) :Blazed: :Tongue:[/quote]

correct me if i'mk wrong, but 15g = 0.529 oz = plenty for 30 pretty meaty joints with no tobacco i would have thought

i still don't understand why weed is sold by the gram in the US where you have imperial, and by the ounce in the UK where we have metric. fucked up that is.[/quote]

OOPS! You're right! I stand corrected :Wacko:

i'm movin to canada :Blazed:

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

Yesss,Canada is great,and beautiful place!!!!!! :LoveYou: :Tongue:

[quote=skahound]I wish the United States would follow suit. We have spent an astronomical sum of money on this failed 'War on Drugs' most of which is centered around marijuana. We have incarcerated countless citizens and sent them away in many cases longer than convicted murderers, rapists, and child molestors. I wish the attitudes of our politicians would change but it's going to be difficult to do because when one does speak out they end up facing a firestorm of controversy because of their views. I'm not a drug-user and I hardly drink alcohol (wine on special dinner occassions), I'm just a rational U.S. citizen who understands that our tax money and law enforcement have better uses than fighting a war they cannot and will not win.[/quote]

they need to stop making those horrible commercials then.

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

Good call Canada, we had this is Britian earlier this year and it seems to be working, plenty of nice weed floating around. :D

15g could make 30 very nice joints, not that you?d be doing much after the first one!

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

Ok, it has been a while since I stopped smokin weed, and now I'm damn glad I stopped. My life is better since I can now think straight, and move forward and up in life, not on a plain level not going anywhere. Anyway, when did the selling of pot change from the nickel, dime bag, quarter ounce, half ounce, whole ounce, or pound for that matter.

Knew I was getting older, but I never knew the whole measure level had changed for Pot. For other drugs, it was always on the metric system, but not Pot.

Did it really change, or do you all really know what your talking about? :Whoaa:

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

Xeb, maybe you got the whole thing confused. The thread was introduce about Canada and 15 grams applied to their system. I really would be surprise if we measure pot differently now, though it could be so. Easy mistake to make :Smiley:

I don't need canada to smoke. I smoke all the time, and its readily available in Colorado. You can talk to people on the street and get it if you really wanted to. Law's don't dictate my course of action.

Who want's ultra high tax rates, a collapsing Healthcare system, the inability for free enterprice, and a bunch of people yelling "eh" just to smoke it legally.

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

[quote=hypoluxxa]You've got me, many things here don't make much sense. I frown upon drug use! :wink:[/quote] hmmm... notice how he says [b]nothing[/b] of day long drinking binges.... :Tongue:

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

"Who want's ultra high tax rates, a collapsing Healthcare system, the inability for free enterprice, and a bunch of people yelling "eh" just to smoke it legally."

exactly....while canada comes up with 1 large issue to appease the masses, they've probably generated several that may ruin their system.

I'm pretty sure there's quite a few large internal problems canada has that will deflate their ego.

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

[quote=Localizer]"Who want's ultra high tax rates, a collapsing Healthcare system, the inability for free enterprice, and a bunch of people yelling "eh" just to smoke it legally."

exactly....while canada comes up with 1 large issue to appease the masses, they've probably generated several that may ruin their system.

I'm pretty sure there's quite a few large internal problems canada has that will deflate their ego.[/quote]

what the fuck?? you dont know anything about canada. ultra high trax rates?? no, they arent that bad unless you make alot of money. inability for free enterprise!?? umm, no buddy, we're not a socialist economy. there are only a couple of gov't owned sectors (things like education and healthcare). and our health care system will be fine, unlike yours were ~40 million of your own people have no insurance and would die if they needed an organ transplant or major surgury.

and most canadians dont say "eh". its a far east coast thing.

get a clue, yeeesh.

:CrackUp: Its obviously then that you need to learn more about your own country.

A pack of ciggerettes cost $4.50 or something canadian the last time I was in vancouver, after taxes it was $6.50. Beer was the same, the taxes were high on everything I bought, I wasn't even talking about income taxes because obviously, I've never worked in canada.

I do however have family and friends that live there. And they tell me about how much higher income taxes are there, taxes AS A WHOLE are all higher in Canada.

Regarding free enterprise. My best friends Uncle owned a game place sort of like Chuck E Cheeses here in the states, used to be called ShowBiz. Well, the canadian government decided that they had to tear the place down to build a new highway and he was screwed.

He couldn't do anything because the government owns the land, and the business itself actually. Free enterprise is where you start a business and you own it, period. Canada does not have that and if you think otherwise you need to go read some books on your own country. The government owns YOUR business.

And don't start with the "Canadian government helps you start it and gives you a grant" Yes, that is true, but you can do the same thing in America. I've gotten approved for $50,000+ government grant to start my own business, and I guarentee I could get much more. Because thats how America is, they want you to own your own business.

Not to mention the $2,000 tax free grant I got for a down payment on a house, because the government wants you to own a house. Thats $2k that I will never ever have to pay back, tax free. Because my taxes pay for that. The taxes in Canada are outragiously high.

And regarding helthcare, well, that same Uncle who owned the business also had heart problems. He was schd for surgery 2 years out, that he needed within a couple months to survive. So he came to Seattle and payed out of his own pocket for his surgery. These are things I learned from people that live there, family and friends. They know their healthcare system sucks. Just wait a couple years and you'll know what I'm talking about.

PS ..... Oh and the "eh" thing was a complete joke, I was just messing around. I have absolutely nothing against Canadians, just their government. And even their government only bothers me because of some of the things they've done to effect people I know, otherwise I could care less what they do.

PPS ..... Your government is more Socialist then you think there bud. ;)

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

I don't smoke, but Toronto rocks :RockOn:

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

dude,

I lived in one of those Socialist piece of shit countries once... never again!

U.S Rocks!!! :RockOn: :RockOn: :RockOn:

no wonder Toronto is so poluted, it's all that smoke from everyone burning it everyday..... 8)

[quote=Civic_Zen]A pack of ciggerettes cost $4.50 or something canadian the last time I was in vancouver, after taxes it was $6.50.[/quote]

two words : exchange rate

<--- no longer a Fresh Peossy :RockOn:

[quote=runningman]The americans are going to hate us even more now.. First we don't go to war with them and now we are going to supply their whole country with weed...:D[/quote]

Are you kidding we are going to :LoveYou: you even more! This may be the first step for us to look at our own policies. Canadians rock! :Tongue:

Of note: I actually don't care for the green myself (give me a pill anyday though) , but I think we are wasting money on drug wars.

[quote=Civic_Zen] Regarding free enterprise. My best friends Uncle owned a game place sort of like Chuck E Cheeses here in the states, used to be called ShowBiz. Well, the canadian government decided that they had to tear the place down to build a new highway and he was screwed.

He couldn't do anything because the government owns the land, and the business itself actually. Free enterprise is where you start a business and you own it, period. Canada does not have that and if you think otherwise you need to go read some books on your own country. The government owns YOUR business.[/quote]

Actually if you understand American politics than you know that in the United States reigns a system dubbed "Eminent Domain" where the government is entitled to take from you your land and pay you FMV in order to use it for the betterment of the public. For instance a family in Idaho was forced to vacate their land (all 7 acres) so that the county could erect a public park and sidewalks. It's not just a Canadian thing.

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

lets not forget salary caps on physicians.

[quote=Civic_Zen]:CrackUp: Its obviously then that you need to learn more about your own country.

A pack of ciggerettes cost $4.50 or something canadian the last time I was in vancouver, after taxes it was $6.50. Beer was the same, the taxes were high on everything I bought, I wasn't even talking about income taxes because obviously, I've never worked in canada.

I do however have family and friends that live there. And they tell me about how much higher income taxes are there, taxes AS A WHOLE are all higher in Canada.

Regarding free enterprise. My best friends Uncle owned a game place sort of like Chuck E Cheeses here in the states, used to be called ShowBiz. Well, the canadian government decided that they had to tear the place down to build a new highway and he was screwed.

He couldn't do anything because the government owns the land, and the business itself actually. Free enterprise is where you start a business and you own it, period. Canada does not have that and if you think otherwise you need to go read some books on your own country. The government owns YOUR business.

And don't start with the "Canadian government helps you start it and gives you a grant" Yes, that is true, but you can do the same thing in America. I've gotten approved for $50,000+ government grant to start my own business, and I guarentee I could get much more. Because thats how America is, they want you to own your own business.

Not to mention the $2,000 tax free grant I got for a down payment on a house, because the government wants you to own a house. Thats $2k that I will never ever have to pay back, tax free. Because my taxes pay for that. The taxes in Canada are outragiously high.

And regarding helthcare, well, that same Uncle who owned the business also had heart problems. He was schd for surgery 2 years out, that he needed within a couple months to survive. So he came to Seattle and payed out of his own pocket for his surgery. These are things I learned from people that live there, family and friends. They know their healthcare system sucks. Just wait a couple years and you'll know what I'm talking about.

PS ..... Oh and the "eh" thing was a complete joke, I was just messing around. I have absolutely nothing against Canadians, just their government. And even their government only bothers me because of some of the things they've done to effect people I know, otherwise I could care less what they do.

PPS ..... Your government is more Socialist then you think there bud. ;)[/quote]

ehh keep thinking thats all correct. your friend's uncles business...it was expropriated for a legitimate reason. this happens in every single country in the world, including your beloved US of A. it is accepted international law, and its perfectly legal as long as its done indiscriminantly and adequate and prompt compensation are payed. (gasp, i did learn something in that class). if your friend's uncle doesnt think he got paid fairly, tell him to sue...if he has a case, he'll win.

second, you think the canadian gov't does that shit all the time??? lol. far far from it. you are just as free to cary out whatever business you want here as you are in the states. and unlike you, i've lived in both countries, so i actually have first hand experience; secondhand stories dont quite cut it.

the taxes thing...they tax beer and cigarettes cause they are BAD for you. smokes are about 10 bucks canadian (7.50 usd) so that young people wont smoke...and it does work. even older people are quitting cause its too expensive. income taxes are NOT that bad when compared to other centre-left countries. the average canadian pays around 30% income tax. when you think about all the extra things we get for that compared to a US citizen (ie. a top ten ranked education system, free healthcare) it more than makes up for it. your country, on the other hand, is ranked 18th in the world in terms of education. EIGHTIENTH!!! you are the worlds biggest super power, yet you cant seem to educate or heal your people. i'm sick, i go to see a doctor...i need a prescription...its affordable. same goes for everyone else. what does someone who lives in the states, earns minimum wage, and has no insurance do?

we are consistently ranked in the top 3 countries in the world to live in by the UN (we were #1 for 5 or 6 years in a row up until recently). how exactly can you criticize us and say you have it better there? you need to start taking care of your own instead of fucking them over...thats not a socialist view point, its a humanitarian one. i'm 100% for working for what you get, infact most of my views are right of center.

just my $0.02.

[quote=day_for_night][quote=Civic_Zen]:CrackUp: Its obviously then that you need to learn more about your own country.

A pack of ciggerettes cost $4.50 or something canadian the last time I was in vancouver, after taxes it was $6.50. Beer was the same, the taxes were high on everything I bought, I wasn't even talking about income taxes because obviously, I've never worked in canada.

I do however have family and friends that live there. And they tell me about how much higher income taxes are there, taxes AS A WHOLE are all higher in Canada.

Regarding free enterprise. My best friends Uncle owned a game place sort of like Chuck E Cheeses here in the states, used to be called ShowBiz. Well, the canadian government decided that they had to tear the place down to build a new highway and he was screwed.

He couldn't do anything because the government owns the land, and the business itself actually. Free enterprise is where you start a business and you own it, period. Canada does not have that and if you think otherwise you need to go read some books on your own country. The government owns YOUR business.

And don't start with the "Canadian government helps you start it and gives you a grant" Yes, that is true, but you can do the same thing in America. I've gotten approved for $50,000+ government grant to start my own business, and I guarentee I could get much more. Because thats how America is, they want you to own your own business.

Not to mention the $2,000 tax free grant I got for a down payment on a house, because the government wants you to own a house. Thats $2k that I will never ever have to pay back, tax free. Because my taxes pay for that. The taxes in Canada are outragiously high.

And regarding helthcare, well, that same Uncle who owned the business also had heart problems. He was schd for surgery 2 years out, that he needed within a couple months to survive. So he came to Seattle and payed out of his own pocket for his surgery. These are things I learned from people that live there, family and friends. They know their healthcare system sucks. Just wait a couple years and you'll know what I'm talking about.

PS ..... Oh and the "eh" thing was a complete joke, I was just messing around. I have absolutely nothing against Canadians, just their government. And even their government only bothers me because of some of the things they've done to effect people I know, otherwise I could care less what they do.

PPS ..... Your government is more Socialist then you think there bud. ;)[/quote]

ehh keep thinking thats all correct. your friend's uncles business...it was expropriated for a legitimate reason. this happens in every single country in the world, including your beloved US of A. it is accepted international law, and its perfectly legal as long as its done indiscriminantly and adequate and prompt compensation are payed. (gasp, i did learn something in that class). if your friend's uncle doesnt think he got paid fairly, tell him to sue...if he has a case, he'll win.

second, you think the canadian gov't does that shit all the time??? lol. far far from it. you are just as free to cary out whatever business you want here as you are in the states. and unlike you, i've lived in both countries, so i actually have first hand experience; secondhand stories dont quite cut it.

the taxes thing...they tax beer and cigarettes cause they are BAD for you. smokes are about 10 bucks canadian (7.50 usd) so that young people wont smoke...and it does work. even older people are quitting cause its too expensive. income taxes are NOT that bad when compared to other centre-left countries. the average canadian pays around 30% income tax. when you think about all the extra things we get for that compared to a US citizen (ie. a top ten ranked education system, free healthcare) it more than makes up for it. your country, on the other hand, is ranked 18th in the world in terms of education. EIGHTIENTH!!! you are the worlds biggest super power, yet you cant seem to educate or heal your people. i'm sick, i go to see a doctor...i need a prescription...its affordable. same goes for everyone else. what does someone who lives in the states, earns minimum wage, and has no insurance do?

we are consistently ranked in the top 3 countries in the world to live in by the UN (we were #1 for 5 or 6 years in a row up until recently). how exactly can you criticize us and say you have it better there? you need to start taking care of your own instead of fucking them over...thats not a socialist view point, its a humanitarian one. i'm 100% for working for what you get, infact most of my views are right of center.

just my $0.02.[/quote]

well said my friend!! long live canada!!

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

[quote=robprunzit]Xeb, maybe you got the whole thing confused. The thread was introduce about Canada and 15 grams applied to their system. I really would be surprise if we measure pot differently now, though it could be so. Easy mistake to make :Smiley:[/quote]

yeah could be mate, i don't live in the states, i just have this memory of an american mate going on about measures in grams... could be wrong. no idea what a nickel and dime bag are... presume that refers to the weights of the coins?

UK is just fucked up. ok i can understand still selling weed in 1/8ths of an oz since thats the way its always been done, but how the fuck can a country with the metric system still measure travel distances in miles and speed in miles per hour :roll:

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

[quote=xeb][quote=robprunzit]Xeb, maybe you got the whole thing confused. The thread was introduce about Canada and 15 grams applied to their system. I really would be surprise if we measure pot differently now, though it could be so. Easy mistake to make :Smiley:[/quote]

yeah could be mate, i don't live in the states, i just have this memory of an american mate going on about measures in grams... could be wrong. no idea what a nickel and dime bag are... presume that refers to the weights of the coins?

UK is just fucked up. ok i can understand still selling weed in 1/8ths of an oz since thats the way its always been done, but how the fuck can a country with the metric system still measure travel distances in miles and speed in miles per hour :roll:[/quote]

Because it?s Britian. Miles are based on yards, which is the historical mesurement from the Roman times, the length of a Legionnaries stride. Before Europe started mesing with our system everything was all inerconnected, furlongs and miles, fathoms and feet, feet and inches etc.

Now it?s all messed up and we have bits of this and that. Also generally no Brit has any concept of KM?s.

Re:: ahh canada, how i love thee

[quote=xeb][quote=robprunzit]Xeb, maybe you got the whole thing confused. The thread was introduce about Canada and 15 grams applied to their system. I really would be surprise if we measure pot differently now, though it could be so. Easy mistake to make :Smiley:[/quote]

yeah could be mate, i don't live in the states, i just have this memory of an american mate going on about measures in grams... could be wrong. no idea what a nickel and dime bag are... presume that refers to the weights of the coins?

UK is just fucked up. ok i can understand still selling weed in 1/8ths of an oz since thats the way its always been done, but how the fuck can a country with the metric system still measure travel distances in miles and speed in miles per hour :roll:[/quote]

here is how we use the terminology in canada...

nickel = .5 cents nickel bag = .5 gram dime = .10 cents dime bag = 1 gram

hope that helps 8)

I am moving to canada!!