Ottawa
The Canadian government has introduced a proposal to eliminate criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana. “Does it make sense that a person who makes a bad choice can receive the lasting burden of a criminal conviction?” asked Justice Minister Martin Cauchon. Government officials said giving small-time pot smokers a break would free up police to hunt big-time drug dealers. U.S. drug czar John Walters said that if the law passed Parliament it would encourage production of Canadian marijuana, which is famously potent. That, he said, could force the U.S. to tighten border inspections, which could clog traffic and hamper trade. Cauchon said the U.S. should butt out of Canada’s affairs. “Canada is a different place with different values,” he said.
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