The sponsor of a federal bill to decriminalize cannabis announced Wednesday that a majority of MPs back the plan, which received its first debate by the House of Commons yesterday.
“For far too long, police and court resources have been wasted arresting and prosecuting people possessing small amounts of pot,” said MP Keith Martin (Alliance Party), sponsor of bill C-344, which seeks to replace criminal pot penalties with a civil fine. “While our resources are squandered in this futile effort, the House of Commons has been quiet and has refused to untie the hands of police so they can go after the real criminals.”
Martin, a former corrections officer and emergency room physician, said that two-thirds of MPs have expressed support for C-344. He told House members that under his proposal: “A person found in possession of marijuana would receive a fine of $200, $500 or $1,000 [Canadian] depending on whether it was their first, second or third offense. They would not go into the court system. They would not receive a criminal conviction and therefore they would not have a criminal record.”
Several Canadian police and health organizations, including the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Medical Association and the Council of Churches, support relaxing the country’s marijuana laws. In addition, 76 percent of Canadians agree that marijuana possession should not be a criminal offense.
The House of Commons could vote on Martin’s proposal as early as next year.
For more information, please contact Keith Stroup or Paul Armentano of NORML at (202) 483-5500.
