1. In 2002 the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drug Use studied the cannabis issue

framework similar to alcohol. The Senate report is available online: www.juror.ca

2. The decision to criminalize cannabis was made "without any apparent scientific basis

nor even any real sense of social urgency." - Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, 2002. P. 274

3. "Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less

health issue." - Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, Chair of the Senate Special

4. "The continued prohibition of cannabis jeopardizes the health and well-being of Canadians much more

than does the substance itself." - Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, 2002. Summary P. 45

5. Cannabis has NOT been decriminalized or legalized in Canada. Canada's Le Dain Commission recommended

the decriminalization of cannabis back in 1972! Over 30 years later and we're still only talking about it.

6. The so-called "decriminalization" bill currently being proposed by the government is an alternative penalties bill.

Under this bill, possession of small amounts of cannabis would remain illegal, but a fine would be

rendered instead of a criminal charges being laid. In addition, this bill proposes to double the

maximum penalties for growing cannabis. The core flaw of this bill is that it was crafted without

acknowledging the dynamics of the black market and the considerable harms being

caused by the policy of prohibition. This bill would actually make matters

7. Legalizing and regulating the production sale of cannabis does NOT send the "wrong message."

The government dismisses the possibility of legalizing cannabis because it would increase use

by sending the message that cannabis use is OK. The policy of cannabis prohibition has been

shown to have no impact on rates of use. The vast majority of people who are interested in

trying cannabis have already done so. Our government's current cannabis policies are

neither effective nor evidence-based. In a modern liberal democracy, policies should

be based on common sense and compassion, not fear, prejudice and misinformation.

8. The U.S. government is pressuring Canada to back away from cannabis law reform. U.S.

government officials have issued strong warnings that if Canada goes ahead with

"decriminalization" the result will be border slowdowns due to the need for increased

scrutiny at the border. FACT: Twelve U.S. states have already enacted some form of

decriminalization, some of these states going even further than what the

Canadian government is proposing.

9. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has had offices in Ottawa and Vancouver since 2001.

The marijuana industry was specified as one of the key reasons for the Vancouver office. The RCMP

have been working closely with the DEA for many years.

10. Canada is NOT a major source of cannabis to the United States. "Frankly, I'm worried

about Canada beginning to look like Mexico as a major supplier of drugs into the United States."

- U.S. Drug Czar John Walters FACT: "Canadian-produced marijuana accounts for

approximately 2% of overall U.S. marijuana seizures its borders." - U.S.-Canada Border Drug Threat

Assessment, Oct. 2004 FACT: Mexico supplies about 46% of the U.S. demand for cannabis. -

United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNDCCP) Global Illicit Drug Trends 2002

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