ALL CANNABIS CANADIANS VOTE GREEN

[Hydraboss]

A poor choice of smoking pot at 18 is not the same as running a grow-op, and therefore does not deserve the same punishment.

RIGHT NOW my beer is legal. If prohibition ever came back, I would have to decide how much I am addicted to my beer. Choices.

Losing a hand? Beheadings?

Sure.

Black burkas?

Don't believe in burkas.

[Guest trex]

RIGHT NOW my beer is legal. If prohibition ever came back, I would have to decide how much I am addicted to my beer. Choices.

Despite the fact that you drink now and are not a threat to anyone, you would not oppose a decision to criminalize beer drinkers again. Even to the harshest extent of the law, your only concern is about compliance.

Well unlike you I take issue with the state when its rulers pass laws that seem arbitrary in nature, and can be proven so by past experience.

[Hydraboss]

You are correct, I am only interested in compliance. If people will not respect the laws, either throw them in jail or get rid of the law.

I am in the Health, Safety and Loss Control sector of the oilpatch. We have all kinds of rules, and some are stupid without doubt. However, that doesn't change my job. Rules are rules. Now, that being said, I heard a statistic years ago in one of my courses that I still refer to (and I don't remember who or what, just that it raises a good point).

"If a rule does not have 70% voluntary compliance, it is a recommendation."

So if 70% of Canadians comply with the pot being illegal law, then the law should remain in force. If 31% of Canadians do not comply with the law, then decriminalize it because you're just chasing your tail.

Now the same applies for rape. If 70% of judges are going to give out sentences (actual jail time served) of 18 months, then the penaly for the crime is 18 months, not 7-10 years (or whatever it reads in the penal code).

In all things legal, clarity is required. I abhor "flexible sentencing" and "alternate measures" for ANY crime. Canada has a set of laws, and those laws carry penalties. Therefore, if the law is broken, the penalty applies. I don't particularly want a child rapist being allowed to live in a halfway house. I also don't want my kids growing up watching the idiot teenagers across the street smoking dope in front of their house. My kids know drugs like that are illegal and yet they watch people breaking the law and nothing being done about it. What kind of message does that send our youth?

So I called the cops and had their little asses hauled away. I know they were back in about three hours, but I don't care. My kids got to see what happens when you break the law.

[Amazing Atheist]

You are correct, I am only interested in compliance. If people will not respect the laws, either throw them in jail or get rid of the law.

Almost 1 out of every 5 Canadians smoke pot and this number is on the rise. You cannot possibly throw all these people in jail which means the laws will have to change. There in my opinion should also be a rational legal basis for outlawing something as well which there is none for pot.

I am in the Health, Safety and Loss Control sector of the oilpatch. We have all kinds of rules, and some are stupid without doubt. However, that doesn't change my job. Rules are rules. Now, that being said, I heard a statistic years ago in one of my courses that I still refer to (and I don't remember who or what, just that it raises a good point).

"If a rule does not have 70% voluntary compliance, it is a recommendation."

So if 70% of Canadians comply with the pot being illegal law, then the law should remain in force. If 31% of Canadians do not comply with the law, then decriminalize it because you're just chasing your tail.

While 70% do comply with the law over half still do not support the law. The only way to change a law also when the courts and the politicians give you the run around is to break it and or apply pressure to have the law changed.

Remember just because something is illegal does not make it wrong. An Ontario judge just ruled that current laws regarding pot were unconstitutional. The laws regarding pot are unconstitutional because they hinder our right to consciousness and personal freedom to do what we please provided we hurt no one else.

Call me a criminal but I refuse to follow laws that I think are not only wrong and violate our personal freedom but baseless as well.

In all things legal, clarity is required. I abhor "flexible sentencing" and "alternate measures" for ANY crime. Canada has a set of laws, and those laws carry penalties. Therefore, if the law is broken, the penalty applies. I don't particularly want a child rapist being allowed to live in a halfway house. I also don't want my kids growing up watching the idiot teenagers across the street smoking dope in front of their house. My kids know drugs like that are illegal and yet they watch people breaking the law and nothing being done about it. What kind of message does that send our youth?

You cannot compare a rapist to a cannabis user as a rapist harms other human beings while cannabis users do not.

Your kids must be quite young.

Once they get to high school and discover that at least half of their classmates smoke pot many of whom are straight A students like I was and discover that everything the government and anti-drug lobby told them was BS once they try it and I assure you they will you and your kids will be at odds.

Just because a few idiot teenagers smoke pot does not mean that all users are in fact idiots. Many of us are respectable members of our communities and work hard.

So I called the cops and had their little asses hauled away. I know they were back in about three hours, but I don't care. My kids got to see what happens when you break the law.

Except in the case of pot cops most of the time now don't bother and over half of all pot related charges are often dropped in most provincial courts.

I would much rather see the police focus on real criminal like rapists, murderers and gangs as opposed to pot smokers minding their own business.

Calling the cops on people and potentially ruining their lives just to make an example out of someone so your kids could see it is just plain wrong. If you really want your kids to listen to you about drugs you should properly educate them about drugs as opposed to trying to scare them into submission.

So where does the addiction kick in? If I know that I could get 20 years in the clink and lose everything that matters to me, and I still do it, do you know what that's called?

Addiction. Also stupidity, but mainly addiction. The punishment is not nearly harsh enough...for either case. Rapists should be subject to capital punishment (no reoffending there) and dope grow ops should be subject to life imprisonment. There, that settled that now didn't it.

So then you basically admit that you support a police state that imprisons huge chunks of it's populations and genocides others?

What you describe is basically what it is like in the US where they now have the largest prison population in the world yet like Canada cannabis use is rising.

The only solution to cutting back crime is not to punish cannabis users but rather to simply abolish prohibition. If it is not illegal then no crime is being committed. So as opposed to setting up a police state we should focus more on violent offenses and harm reduction and leave the pot people alone.

Look, its true that they are doing something illegal. The question os of the sentence vs. the ipact of such illegal act on society, thats how you decide what is fair.

Current drug policy is simply not viable especially in regards to cannabis.

Me and almost everyone I know have no criminal records for anything other then cannabis possession. None of us are violent we all work and many of us have families and what have you. Essentially we are just as normal as everyone else to be honest most people don't pin me as being someone who even smokes pot on a regular basis. The only thing fair would be to stop punishing the people for living their lives how they please especially since most of us do not harm society in any way.

[shavluk]

You are correct, I am only interested in compliance. If people will not respect the laws, either throw them in jail or get rid of the law.

I am in the Health, Safety and Loss Control sector of the oilpatch. We have all kinds of rules, and some are stupid without doubt. However, that doesn't change my job. Rules are rules. Now, that being said, I heard a statistic years ago in one of my courses that I still refer to (and I don't remember who or what, just that it raises a good point).

"If a rule does not have 70% voluntary compliance, it is a recommendation."

So if 70% of Canadians comply with the pot being illegal law, then the law should remain in force. If 31% of Canadians do not comply with the law, then decriminalize it because you're just chasing your tail.

Now the same applies for rape. If 70% of judges are going to give out sentences (actual jail time served) of 18 months, then the penaly for the crime is 18 months, not 7-10 years (or whatever it reads in the penal code).

In all things legal, clarity is required. I abhor "flexible sentencing" and "alternate measures" for ANY crime. Canada has a set of laws, and those laws carry penalties. Therefore, if the law is broken, the penalty applies. I don't particularly want a child rapist being allowed to live in a halfway house. I also don't want my kids growing up watching the idiot teenagers across the street smoking dope in front of their house. My kids know drugs like that are illegal and yet they watch people breaking the law and nothing being done about it. What kind of message does that send our youth?

So I called the cops and had their little asses hauled away. I know they were back in about three hours, but I don't care. My kids got to see what happens when you break the law.

*****You are correct, I am only interested in compliance. If people will not respect the laws, either throw them in jail or get rid of the law.**** quote

Next year when cannabis is regulated and re-legalized to most it will seem like my 16 years and for some others , their 35 year battle never happened and it will seem to have changed over night.

Getting rid of the law is what we "are" doing!

84 years in now. The ignorance is very deep rooted and inbred by now.

You have already said you were from old school DNA so we understand.

Life is all relative thankfully so you are probably blissfully unaware how insulting or hypocritical you may sound to you kids.

I will bring in a special retroactive penalty called the hypocrite law just for people like you ,,haha that gives mandatory lie detectors and retroactive jail sentences multiplied for their real hypocrisy and still keep all those penitentiary works thinking they are not obsolete.

*********In all things legal, clarity is required. I abhor "flexible sentencing" and "alternate measures" for ANY crime. Canada has a set of laws, and those laws carry penalties. Therefore, if the law is broken, the penalty applies. I don't particularly want a child rapist being allowed to live in a halfway house. I also don't want my kids growing up watching the idiot teenagers across the street smoking dope in front of their house. My kids know drugs like that are illegal and yet they watch people breaking the law and nothing being done about it. What kind of message does that send our youth?***********quote

That Canada is not China and that you may in fact be a hypocrite , because they also know you may be an alcoholic.

They also know cannabis is harmless and they probably take your beer bottles in and get cannabis with the refund you probably ignore.

*****

So I called the cops and had their little asses hauled away. I know they were back in about three hours, but I don't care. My kids got to see what happens when you break the law.

*********

And yet they have seen you jaywalk , maybe cheat on your tax's and possibly drink and drive?

Kids are way smarter than we were at their age and disadvantaged at the same time because they grew up with this instant gratification thing the likes of which we could only dream of and having a drug culture drummed into them with legal drug TV commercials with all these old people on an average 5 drugs ,legal drugs and even using drugs just to get a hard on.

This instant gratification thing has contributed to a higher suicide rate and Columbine type shootings.

Another time.

[Hydraboss]

Kids are way smarter than we were at their age ...

My kids are smarter than you are at your age.

[BubberMiley]

Sure. Is "pothead" ok? How about "criminal?"

I also know that it creates an emotional dependency...not a strong one in my case, but an overwhelming one in many cases. Both of us know, if you're willing to be honest, that there are people out there who simply can't deal with the world without pot. And that's not a good thing. It's not a "right," it's not a "club," and it most certainly isn't a "culture." It's a drug problem.

No one smokes dope to savor the taste of burning THC and zigzag rolling paper, they smoke dope to get high. You can paint this pig with lipstick and dress it up with a gucci handbag, but it's still a pig.

If people can't deal with the world without pot, criminalizing it doesn't help their situation. And their use isn't necessarily a drug problem or a bad thing either. It may actually improve their condition, which is why they come to depend on it. Quitting pot just returns you to your pre-existing state. If that was a negative state, that return will be more difficult.

When someone finds something that gives them a little bit of pleasure in this otherwise terribly unpleasant world, its downright fascistic and puritanical to react to that by criminalizing their behaviour.

And there's nothing in the world that tastes better than smoke, to those who are so inclined. The pig is perfect just the way it is.

Edited November 2, 2007 by BubberMiley

[Hydraboss]

The only way to change a law also when the courts and the politicians give you the run around is to break it and or apply pressure to have the law changed.

If you ignore the law, then you're breaking it. Change it legally.

Call me a criminal but I refuse to follow laws ...

You're a criminal. The rest of your statement doesn't matter.

Your kids must be quite young.

They are.

Once they get to high school and discover that at least half of their classmates smoke pot many of whom are straight A students like I was and discover that everything the government and anti-drug lobby told them was BS once they try it and I assure you they will you and your kids will be at odds.

Probably not.

Just because a few idiot teenagers smoke pot does not mean that all users are in fact idiots. Many of us are respectable members of our communities and work hard.

Except in the case of pot cops most of the time now don't bother and over half of all pot related charges are often dropped in most provincial courts.

Even the kids across the street were released with a finger-wagging. Don't care, the message was sent. They should have received a criminal record for breaking the law.

I would much rather see the police focus on real criminal like rapists, murderers and gangs as opposed to pot smokers minding their own business.

Given. And if people would quit doing stupid shit like speeding and smoking pot, the cops would have more time and resources to fight worthwhile crime.

Calling the cops on people and potentially ruining their lives just to make an example out of someone so your kids could see it is just plain wrong.

They were breaking the law.

If you really want your kids to listen to you about drugs you should properly educate them about drugs as opposed to trying to scare them into submission.

I have.

So then you basically admit that you support a police state that imprisons huge chunks of it's populations and genocides others?

Yep.

What you describe is basically what it is like in the US where they now have the largest prison population in the world yet like Canada cannabis use is rising.

So is pedophilia.

The only solution to cutting back crime is not to punish cannabis users but rather to simply abolish prohibition. If it is not illegal then no crime is being committed. So as opposed to setting up a police state we should focus more on violent offenses and harm reduction and leave the pot people alone.

Should we abolish prohibition on consensual sex with a minor just because some don't feel like following the law and feel it is a victimless crime?

Current drug policy is simply not viable especially in regards to cannabis.

True. The punishment needs to have teeth.

Me and almost everyone I know have no criminal records for anything other then cannabis possession. None of us are violent we all work and many of us have families and what have you. Essentially we are just as normal as everyone else to be honest most people don't pin me as being someone who even smokes pot on a regular basis. The only thing fair would be to stop punishing the people for living their lives how they please especially since most of us do not harm society in any way.

You are breaking the law, and therefore causing harm to society. If you believe that society should have laws, ANY laws, then you MUST believe that those laws should be followed.

[shavluk]

You really are a piece of work and your yep on genocide was enough for me.

dana can keep playing with you but I know you cant make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

You are only here because of your own miserable wasted existence.

I am done with you as well.

I thank BubberMiley for his sane and honest thoughts.

I know some actually , very many are coming here and they will get a good read of and about this issue and I thank all of you for your comments even the discriminatory swill of extinct DNA types as it shows it all to the majority who are like our side,,,not yours thankfully.

I see no reason for some of you though to bother still making yourselves look petty and small by continuing unless its just about immature games , which I will just now ignore.

Edited November 2, 2007 by shavluk

[old_bold&cold]

I have to agree with Hydraboss. What all these guys just do not seem to get is the fact that what they are doing is against the law. That is just plain and simple. They do not have a right to break the law and so if they are caught they should be sentenced accordingly, and if necessary sent to jail, for breaking the law.

Until they can have the law changed, it is just all utter nonsense by them as to "what it this or what if that", when the her and now say you are breaking the law, and should be arrested. If I had neighbour kids smoking pot near my small children, not only would I report them to police, I would make sure the police followed thru and took action. If I saw a repeat I would do so again and again, until they either smarten up and quit or go to jail and let the jailed crooks straigthen then out. That is what justice calls for.

If we let these people just flout the law, then we are not being good citizens, and that is where problems begin. Myself I have a terrible time controlling my true wishes when I see these things going on. I am glad that my own nehew that I raised is now grown up and realatively leading a normal life. Back when he was 13, I made it known to the group of people around our area, that if ever I caught any of them selling or even trying to led him in to drugs, they will not have to worry about police, but they also would never be seen again, and they all knew I meant what I said. My nephew at first hated all this, but later when he got more inot the athletics and sports instead of the pot crowd, he knew he was far more happier then he would have been other wise. When the time came that he could no longer live by my rules, he left to live on his own and his rules. he now has two daughters and is protective of them. I am sure he has done some pot and maybe even tried other drugs, but he is not by any means abusing anything, and believe me when I say he came to me from a very bad abusive father who drank and did drugs his whole life. He hardly ever sees his father now, and when he does it is always to ask for money for his booze and drugs. I think both my nephew and I will be happy when he just finally overdoses and dies. It will end a ver bad chapter in out lives.

Never should people look the other way when you see things like smoking pot by children happen. It really is just a small window on what will become a major problem. Let the law do its job and yes that means criminal records if matter are found to support it. There can not be any community without the community helping to enforce the laws. Just look at the likes of Shavluk and his ranting posts, calling people names, and his drug induced ideas, that alone should show you just how screwed up some people are. Also to think that he is actually a Green Party Candidate, it really is scarey.

[shavluk]

See what I mean people?

Sad isn't it?

I of course know your nephew wasn't seeing his father to get money for drugs and alcohol even though your post says otherwise.

I guess you can just continue being an admitted hypocrite waiting to do your hypocrite time and leave this thread alone as others maybe distracted by your poison and malicious mean spirited disgusting bully attitude.

Bizarre people like you still exist.

hey fill your boots ,,I will leave it to others to play with you.

I also pledge to show you the same courtesy some where down the road when you are being serious and not just showing how ignorant you chose to be.

Edited November 2, 2007 by shavluk

[Hydraboss]

You're an idiot. Shut up.

[Higgly]

You are correct, I am only interested in compliance. If people will not respect the laws, either throw them in jail or get rid of the law.

This is a political debate site. We are debating the legislation, not enforcement. If that is your interest, you would be better off at a law enforecement site.

If you cannot defend the legislation on its merits, then don't come here saying you are only interested in telling everybody to obey the law.

[Hydraboss]

Higgly, the debate over whether or not this Canada's drug laws are proper and applicable is directly based on whether or not an individual feels pot is harmful or not. Since there are myriad "studies" on both sides, neither side will give in. You want to debate the merit of a law? First you would have to admit that it is a law, and not just a recommendation.

Merit of law and enforcement of same are inseparable. So you've taken it upon yourself to determine which posts by which posters are acceptable? You're a Mod now, are you?

I could just as easily say that there are people on this board that should go to other sites that promote the breaking of laws, as we are a lawful bunch here (for the most part). Is it any better for posters to write on this board that people should break the law?

Get the hell off your high horse or you may just fall.

[shavluk]

The Green Party is also responsible for ending the war against same sex marriages by the way and I ask all of you obvious conservatives if you feel we were wrong on that issue as well.

You would like to see homosexuals jailed but I bet not lesbians eh?

Hiding behind the laws the law is the most heinous cop out of our generation and Rosa Parks showed you and us that stupid laws do in fact need breaking.

Again why don't you hypocrites go turn yourselves in to the police as you have admitted to breaking the laws yourselves , remember?

I will make sure you are booked no problem ,,yeah cowards I bet.

Have all of you told your own children you have in fact tried cannabis as you squeal like little girls turning in local children and ruining theirs and their families lives?

Or are you lying to them as well?

HYPOCRITES !

I feel sorry for your children.

Mine?

All well adjusted, university educated and very successful.

Edited November 2, 2007 by shavluk

[noahbody]

Mine all well adjusted university educated and very successful.

[Higgly]

Higgly, the debate over whether or not this Canada's drug laws are proper and applicable is directly based on whether or not an individual feels pot is harmful or not. Since there are myriad "studies" on both sides, neither side will give in. You want to debate the merit of a law? First you would have to admit that it is a law, and not just a recommendation.

...

Get the hell off your high horse or you may just fall.

What? Am I now accused of denying the existence of the law?

The debate is about whether the law should be changed. That's what a political debate is about. Saying that you are only interested in enforcement of the law as it now stands excludes you from the debate.

If you are in favour of the law, then defend it on its merits, but don't say that its merits are that it is the law and it must be obeyed. You don't see politicians going into the House and saying, "Well it's the law, so just shut up."

[Hydraboss]

Actually, to an extent, you do see that. Isn't that what a lot of people's problem with Harper is? Don't you accuse him of being "heavy handed", etc...? Is that not what the whole debate is centered on? "No one has the right to tell me not to smoke pot!" Yes, the people of Canada elected law-makers to tell people what they can and cannot do. Where the debate degrades is when the two sides end up saying "You can't do that" and "I can so do that". Neither side will ever have the upper hand, until someone steps in and points out the obvious...the "It's the law" argument tips the scales to the "You can't" side.

The law as it stands, is supposedly based on sound evidence that pot should be illegal. Is it true? I'm not a doctor so I cannot say. Unless one of this board's posters happens to be a medical professional with research on pot and it's effects, then all arguments posted are based on second hand knowledge.

Until such time as the HoC sees fit to believe contrary medical proof, the law should remain as it is.

And yes, people who break the law should go to jail.

[Higgly]

Until such time as the HoC sees fit to believe contrary medical proof, the law should remain as it is.

The medical establishment so far has concluded that the biggest harm from moderate marijuana use is bronchitis. They have not linked it to cancer, liver disease, what have you. This is not the case with alcohol.

Alcohol is also a big factor in crime. Marijuana is only a big factor when alcohol or some other hard drug is involved.

[shavluk]

Well your signature says it all.

"racist, intolerant, small-minded bigot"

And thankfully we will win as you being obsolete are far out numbered.

Watch !

VOTE GREEN BECAUSE WE ARE NOT LIKE SOME OF THE ONES YOU HAVE READ HERE ,

WHO ACTUALLY THINK GENOCIDE IS OK

IF SOME ONE MAKES IT A LAW !! Hahhahahahhaha

Must be that small penis disease I just read about ,,some seem to have all the symptoms ,you know.

[Hydraboss]

You know, you just don't know when to quit. Learn to read....and a word called C-O-N-T-E-X-T.

The genocide comment was what one poster used to describe capital punishment, which I happen to agree with.

The only thing I can surmise is that you have placed yourself under the Green Party banner to intentionally sink the party in your riding. Nothing else makes sense.

<edit>

The signature is what another poster of long ago referred to me and other Albertans as.

Edited November 2, 2007 by Hydraboss

[shavluk]

You know, you just don't know when to quit. Learn to read....and a word called C-O-N-T-E-X-T.

The genocide comment was what one poster used to describe capital punishment, which I happen to agree with.

The only thing I can surmise is that you have placed yourself under the Green Party banner to intentionally sink the party in your riding. Nothing else makes sense.

<edit>

The signature is what another poster of long ago referred to me and other Albertans as.

"racist, intolerant, small-minded bigot"

Is your home warm right now? Thank an Albertan.

Well you can make any excuse you want I thought you were displaying it rather proudly although to me it was openly stupid.

I could care less what you and some of your bully friends think as I am in fact polling second in Newton North Delta as we speak.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it buddy!

Again all are free to see how ridiculous you all sound.

Sadly you even sense I am right or you wouldn't go on with your rather lame arguments.

Save face and just go away hypocrite.

[Amazing Atheist]

If you ignore the law, then you're breaking it. Change it legally.

The exact same thing happened with alcohol that is happening with cannabis. The only reason why alcohol was re-legalized was because to many people were breaking the unjust law and it could not be enforced.

As for changing it legally we would but the first thing that needs to happen is for politicians and judges to stop crumbling like a house of cards due to pressure from the US who leads the charge in the so called 'war on drugs'.

If I could I would restore our national sovereignty by ridding Canada of the DEA and thei 2 offices located in Ottawa and Vancouver.

Call me a criminal but I refuse to follow laws ...

You're a criminal. The rest of your statement doesn't matter.

Yeah the rest of my statement does matter because I was making a point.

If the government told you it was now illegal for you to vote for any other candidate except the liberal candidate despite other candidates being on the ballot would you obey that law even though it is unjust and irrational in a supposed free democratic society? I know I would break this law even if it meant jail time.

Once they get to high school and discover that at least half of their classmates smoke pot many of whom are straight A students like I was and discover that everything the government and anti-drug lobby told them was BS once they try it and I assure you they will you and your kids will be at odds.

Probably not.

Well my parents did things the way you did things and in this matter we are now at odds with one another.

You may not want to believe that at least one of your kids will try pot just because you don't want them to but they become their own person and don't always mirror their parents especially if they are smarter then you. Once they hit the age of curiosity and start partying etc you will find that you disagree with them on a great many things and this issue will come up sometime, unless of course they are to scared to talk to you because they are scared you will turn them into the police and make an example out of them etc.

Just because a few idiot teenagers smoke pot does not mean that all users are in fact idiots. Many of us are respectable members of our communities and work hard.

Except in the case of pot cops most of the time now don't bother and over half of all pot related charges are often dropped in most provincial courts.

Even the kids across the street were released with a finger-wagging. Don't care, the message was sent. They should have received a criminal record for breaking the law.

The message was sent now but once they get older they will see that as you being a total asshole. Everyone I know who had parents like you now distance themselves from them and I don't think you want your kids to do the same to you.

People should not have their lives ruined just because YOU don't like cannabis. It is hard to believe that you care about children yet are fully committed to tearing apart families and ruining lives.

I would much rather see the police focus on real criminal like rapists, murderers and gangs as opposed to pot smokers minding their own business.

Given. And if people would quit doing stupid shit like speeding and smoking pot, the cops would have more time and resources to fight worthwhile crime.

Well I use public transportation and ride my bike around the city whenever I can. Just because you don't like to smoke pot or never have doesn't make it stupid. Speeding is of course stupid and so is drinking alcohol as that kills lots of people.

I smoked pot all the way through high school and university and still graduated both with top marks. That's right I got top marks in school and was high the whole time.

You lump every pot smoker in with stupid teenagers, rapists and speeders. I am here to tell you that most of us do not fit into your A-typical stereotype.

Calling the cops on people and potentially ruining their lives just to make an example out of someone so your kids could see it is just plain wrong.

They were breaking the law.

So were they hurting anyone? Did they do anything to you? Why the huge grudge against people who do things you don't?

Live and let live that's what I say. I could care less whether or not people smoke pot or not.

Would you call the police on your own kids if they jay walked across a street or came home high one night after a party?

If you really want your kids to listen to you about drugs you should properly educate them about drugs as opposed to trying to scare them into submission.

I have.

Making an example of teens who live across the street from you is not proper drug education it's being an asshole.

Your comments clearly demonstrate not only a lack of compassion but a lack of knowledge regarding drugs but especially Cannabis which is a benign plant that cause no real harm to human physiology.

So then you basically admit that you support a police state that imprisons huge chunks of it's populations and genocides others?

Yep.

You sir are a fascist!

Stiffer penalties do not work to deter crime nor do death penalties. Look at US crime numbers and their rising drug usage rate. Look at their cramped over crowded gulags and worlds highest prison population.

You will find that what you propose will do nothing but enslave and oppress.

What you describe is basically what it is like in the US where they now have the largest prison population in the world yet like Canada cannabis use is rising.

So is pedophilia.

Actually pedophilia is not on the rise, it only appears this way because it makes the headlines more these days and this is because the subject is not so taboo like it used to be. The world has always been a rotten place we just hear about it more as our access to information is now unprecedented.

The only solution to cutting back crime is not to punish cannabis users but rather to simply abolish prohibition. If it is not illegal then no crime is being committed. So as opposed to setting up a police state we should focus more on violent offenses and harm reduction and leave the pot people alone.

Should we abolish prohibition on consensual sex with a minor just because some don't feel like following the law and feel it is a victimless crime?

You can't even compare pedophilia to cannabis use.

Pedophilia has been proven to cause long lasting and serious psychological trauma to children .

I smoke cannabis within my own home I never hurt anyone and I am using the Cannabis on myself not giving it to other people. Cannabis has never killed a person and it has been proven not to cause permanent or even temporary brain damage or anything else other then the possibility of getting bronchitis.

Current drug policy is simply not viable especially in regards to cannabis.

True. The punishment needs to have teeth.

The punishment in the US has teeth and yet it has done nothing even after spending an estimated trillion dollars to fight drugs.

Use continues to rise in all age demographics and the jail population down there has become to high for jails to handle.

Your philosophy is simply not a viable and sustainable solution. What we need here is rationality and sensible laws that no longer punish those who choose to us a plant for both pleasure and medical applications.

You are breaking the law, and therefore causing harm to society. If you believe that society should have laws, ANY laws, then you MUST believe that those laws should be followed.

The only way to change a law is to break it and apply pressure to policy makers.

Over half of the Canadian population do not support your views and the government has turned a blind eye to the very public they were elected to represent.

I believe society should have law and order. I also believe however that these laws must be sensible and not impede on our personal lives and freedoms.

Breaking a law does not always harm society especially if the law is unjust. Criminalizing pot users and breaking up families and ruining lives harms society. Increasing penalties and throwing everyone in jail harms society by causing an increase in taxation.

The government is not always right in their decisions and criminalizing pot is not one of them.

Did the protests in Burma which were illegal harm society or does the governments brutal means of suppressing the democratic movement harm society?

Was Hitlers extermination of the Jews in Europe just just because the Nazi government hated them?

In China does the illegal status of speaking out against the government make it right?

A law is only acceptable when it is rational, sensible and just. Throwing a murderer in jail or a rapist is just as they inflict harm on others through their actions. Most pot users do not harm others and only use withing their homes or property.

If you want crime reduction and harm prevention then the laws need to change not the punishment and increasing punishment does not work as a deterrent. Crime can only be reduced when the 7 billion dollar a year cannabis industry is taken out of the hand of the black market and that is a fact not an opinion.

Another fact is that the war on drugs is really a war on people, people like me who are otherwise productive members of society. The war on drugs is over and guess what people you lost.

If there is a demand and there is then there will always be a supplier the only question that needs to be asked here is: Who do you want controlling the drug trade?

[guyser]

Is your home warm right now? Thank an Albertan.

I tried but so inefficient, too hard to get into my airtight. Wood burns so much better, and cheaper too !

[Hydraboss]

Eloquently spoken, all. Why aren't you running for the Green Party instead of the less intelligent>>?

You and I will never agree on this issue. Fine. Am I a facist? Definition depends on view. I view the Federal Liberals as facist. Do I know a lot about pot? Certainly. I have had the pleasure to sit through lectures and talk face to face with some of the most highly regarded doctors in the field (by the way, if you drink booze you would not want to speak with these people...they have every bit as grim a view as on drugs). I watched the effects of drugs drive my best friend to suicide, and I had to clean up the mess.

As for my kids, they are very well adjusted and fitting into MAINSTREAM life in Alberta. The schools teach anti-drug and anti-smoking all the time, and that has resulted in both my kids and the children of others becoming their own next generation of non-abusers.

Will they try pot? Maybe. The teenagers across the street were flaunting the law. When my kids asked what happened...I explained. They were smoking illegal drugs (in front of my neighbours four year old I might add) and when they refused to go in the house to do it, I called the police.