From: Geoff Smith (geoffs@unixg.ubc.ca)
Date: Mon Jul 06 1998 - 12:44:59 MDT
On Mon, 6 Jul 1998, Damien R. Sullivan wrote:
> Last week's Economist has a piece on Canadian pot. Allegedly Vancouver has
> a San Francisco-like attitude, so many Vietnam draft resisters ended up there,
> bringing their pot seeds with them. The pot has since been bred for the
> climate and 30% THC content (vs. 2% originally.) It's estimated that the
> B.C. pot market is $4 billion -- more than mining or farming, and close to
> tourism. British Columbia apparently has a fairly laidback attitude towards
> having or even growing pot -- illegal, but ill-enforced.
Recently, a judge ruled that it was unconstitutional to punish someone for
marijuana posession, citing the hypocrisy inherent in allowing alcohol and
nicotine, and banning THC. I'm not sure if this will set up a legal
precedent or not.
The head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police made a public statement that
it was okay to grow marijuanna for personal consumption.
Since we have no FBI, one town in British Columbia decided to legalize
marijuana. There is nothing stopping them from doing this.
I thought USA was supposed to be the decentralized one?!?
> "I know! Let's decertify Canada!"
>
> The article also mentioned that the US has 500,000 people in prison on
> marijuana charges. Canadians may not be able to have handguns, but, hmm.
That's because America has federally-imposed mandatory minimum sentences,
so judges cannot lighten a possession sentence, or make an offender
elligible for parol. You'd think judges would have some sort of body to
lobby stuff like this. I know I'd be miffed if I was a judge and the feds
were telling me I had to incarcerate a pot smoker for longer than a
rapist/murderer (no exaggeration!)
> -xx- Damien R. Sullivan X-)
>
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