Pubdate: Tue, 03 Jun 2003
Source: Parksville Qualicum Beach News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003 Parksville Qualicum Beach News
Contact:  http://www.pqbnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1361
Author: Robert Saint Amour

NEW POT LAW JUST ANOTHER FEDERAL CASH GRAB

While pot smokers across Canada celebrate their apparent victory, they 
should stop and look carefully at this new legislation. If it's too good to 
be true etc.

Any police officer I've spoken to has agreed that this law is necessary to 
avoid clogging the courts up with people that like to smoke pot. Hence the 
problem.

The police will tell you that it is a pain in the butt to charge a person 
and get them in court for marijuana possession. They will tell you that it 
is much easier to simply identify and fine people. In response, we have a 
brand new cash cow for our federal bureaucrats to screw up.

It is obvious that very few speeders would ever be caught if the police 
were forced into court for every offence; fines work and the authorities do 
not have to do anything but learn how to write out a ticket. Some cops I've 
spoken to were just itching to "get" people they know smoke pot but were 
just too much trouble to prosecute or care about. Until now.

There is a distinct possibility that this law could be abused, the 
presumption of guilt is all but gone and the onus falls on the ticketed and 
evil weed puffer. Cops no longer have to prove much, just get some evidence 
in a plastic bag and scoop $400 for every adult caught, kids get off 
lighter, they only have to ask for $200 from their parents when they get 
snagged.

This law was not meant to acknowledge or assist otherwise law-abiding pot 
smokers; it was designed to get their money easier. In fact, it is the only 
feasible way they could tax it.

When the majority of society ignores a law, it should be abolished, not 
enhanced to rip us off for more money.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens