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The Drug War has begun: USA fighting Canada
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| Eugene |
U.S. fears drug spillover from Canada
Border seizures soar
Jan Cienski and Carl Hanlon
National Post, Global Television
WASHINGTON - A dramatic increase in drug seizures along the U.S.-Canadian border, coupled with an increasingly tolerant attitude in Canada toward
narcotics, is fuelling U.S. concerns that Canada is becoming a source of drug
problems for the United States.
If Canada does not halt what Washington perceives as a slide toward the
legalization of drugs and act more vigorously to stamp out drug smuggling, the
United States is prepared to retaliate by using the stick of tougher customs
regulation, something which could have disastrous effects on Canada's
U.S.-dependent economy.
"Canada is a sovereign country, but there are consequences when neighbours
cannot co-operate on serious issues and this is a very serious issue," said
Robert Maginnis, an advisor to White House drug czar John Walters. "It appears
as if it's a trend going in the wrong direction and it is incumbent on the U.S.
administration and the U.S. Congress to communicate that this is a key
concern."
In recent years, U.S. authorities have been intercepting growing amounts of
drugs being smuggled south from Canada, particularly the potent form of
marijuana cultivated in British Columbia hydroponic grow houses known as B.C.
bud.
But after border controls were tightened following the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks, drug seizures skyrocketed. Two years ago, the Americans seized 2,648
kilograms of marijuana coming in from British Columbia. In 2001 that figure
jumped to over 3,400 kilograms. So far this year U.S. Customs has confiscated
3,100 kilograms and expects to hit 7,300 kilograms by the end of the year.
In Buffalo, N.Y., U.S. Customs has seized 350 kilograms of B.C. bud this year,
three times more than last year, said Mark MacVittie, a chief inspector there.
U.S. officials attribute part of the increase to tighter border security
following the Sept. 11 attacks and part to the criminal gangs which are taking
over the trade and shipping drugs to the United States in larger amounts.
Corporal Scott Rintoul of the RCMP estimated that 70% of the marijuana grown in
Canada ends up in the United States.
The potent B.C. bud, which has a THC content as high as 25%, compared to the 2%
typical in the 1970s, is also leading to health concerns in the United States.
THC is the active ingredient in marijuana.
Admissions for marijuana drug treatment in Washington state now exceed the rate
for treatment of alcoholism. Cannabis admissions in Cook County, Ill., have
risen by 400% in the last four years.
That is causing increasing anger south of the border. "One of the areas of
growth has actually been through Canada," Mr. Walters told Congress recently
when testifying about the U.S. drug problem.
The United States is also worried that Canada could turn into a North American
version of the Netherlands, attracting pot-seeking tourists and leading to
pressure in surrounding countries to ease their drug laws in turn.
A recent report from the Canadian Senate that drug control was not working
raised alarms in Washington, which fears it heralds a move toward legalization.
Mr. Maginnis and other administration officials are already lobbying the
Canadian government to go no further on the path toward legalization. They
intend to make their case at a drug policy conference next month in Quebec,
where Mr. Walters is expected to make a strong argument against legalization.
The U.S. government has already helped delay Canada's medical marijuana program
by refusing to supply standardized marijuana seeds from a U.S. government
marijuana farm in Mississippi.
Although several states have approved medical marijuana, the federal government
has blocked any attempt to find legitimate uses for the drug. |
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| jploveparade |
| Hail Canada, for copying our Dutch Drug policy |
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| ShadoWolf |
| quote: | Originally posted by Eugene
The U.S. government has already helped delay Canada's medical marijuana program
by refusing to supply standardized marijuana seeds from a U.S. government
marijuana farm in Mississippi.
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lol the US govt has a weed farm? lol |
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| ShadoWolf |
| quote: | Originally posted by jploveparade
Hail Canada, for copying our Dutch Drug policy |
doesn't Berlin have an even more liberal drug policy than the Netherlands? |
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| Eugene |
All I can say to Canadians is:
Good luck, and do NOT bow to pressure from the US!
You are a sovereign country, and do not listen to the fanatical moralists in the USA!
Make your own sane, humane, wise, and good laws! |
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| JohnSmith |
Yes, i think it should be made legal here, and that is what looks like is going to happen. Even though i don't smoke it personally myself, i used to, and there is nothing wrong with it. at least nothing more wrong than alcohol.
unfortunately, i don't get to make the laws. the laws are made by the politicians, and the politicians are securely in the back pocket of the corporations.
and, the coporations do not want this to happen, for a two reasons. one, because it will strain relations with the US. two because then hemp will also be legal, and this will make it very hard for them to keep a stranglehold on the timber industry like they have now.
BCs 2 biggest exports are forestry products and pot. if pot was legalized, it would be export even more, and we would make money. also we could convert our foresty operations over to hemp, and grow 4 times the amount of hemp, faster, safer, and cheaper.
of course, then the companies would have to switch over to hemp processing equipment, and they do not want to take the financial hit of that, when they can keep on selling trees at an astronomical loss to the USA.
so, in short, big business sucks, the USA sucks, and canada sucks too.
but, it don't matter, because people are going to keep smoking anyway. |
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| TeKnoHe@d2025 |
| I thought the crackdown on drugs was going to be less since the US is more focused on terrorism now? At least that's what I read a few months ago. |
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| Nadi |
| quote: | Originally posted by TeKnoHe@d2025
I thought the crackdown on drugs was going to be less since the US is more focused on terrorism now? At least that's what I read a few months ago. |
Of course not. Our goverment is stupid remember? Its logical for them to do the stupid thing and worry about the relativly harmless stuff, and not about important stuff, like the raising crime rates, terrorism etc. |
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| jploveparade |
| quote: | | doesn't Berlin have an even more liberal drug policy than the Netherlands? |
muhahahahhahahahahahahahhahahhah :haha:
Yeah right :wtf:
Get yourself arrested in Berlin and find out :)
hehehe
Thanks man, I fell of my chair laughing :D
But indeed the best place to smoke pot in Germany must be Berlin. They are getting more liberal every year. :)
In 1999 I saw a girl getting arrested for having a quarter of a pill in her pocket. In Amsterdam the some policemen take XTC themselves. And that is not a joke. |
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| j_spot |
weed wont be legal anytime soon.
it may be decrimilized, but not legalized...there is a big difference
woohoo for not being illegal!!!!!
isnt britain going the same way as well? |
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| Vitryss |
| quote: | Originally posted by JohnSmith
...but, it don't matter, because people are going to keep smoking anyway. |
Damn right, :crazy:
Is what I'm doing right now anyway..... :) |
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| jploveparade |
| me 2 in 30 min :D |
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