Cops should be able to issue tickets to pot smokers: police chiefs

Winnipeg Free Press  By: James Turner  Posted: 12:29 PM
Police should have the option of writing tickets to penalize pot users caught with less than 30 grams of the drug, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police said at a news conference in Winnipeg Tuesday morning.  Allowing police officers the discretion to issue tickets for simple possession of cannabis would cut down on policing and court costs in dealing with the crime, and better reflect "community standards" that exist today regarding use of the drug, CACP President Jim Chu, also the Chief Constable of the Vancouver Police Department, said. Hundreds of CACP delegates from across Canada are meeting in Winnipeg this week and voting on resolutions they believe reflect progressive change for Canadian law-enforcement. "The CACP is not in support of decriminalization or legalization of cannabis in Canada," Chu said. "It must be recognized, however, that under the current legislation the only enforcement option for police, when confronted with simple possession of cannabis, is to either turn a blind eye or lay charges." Of the delegates who voted, only one came out against the resolution, Chu said.  The total number of votes was not available. The CACP now plans to enter into discussions with the federal government, as any change to the way simple pot possession is enforced will require changes to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The CACP says the ticket-enforcement regime fall under a section of the federal Contraventions Act. CACP Drug Abuse Committee Chair Chief Mark Mander said the issue is a "timely" one given recent debate over marijuana and its criminalization. He described the amount of time and money spent on pushing minor pot-possession cases through the courts as a "significant burden" on the justice system. "A ticket is quick," said Chu.