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 veggie
Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 5,779
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 Ex-cop an advocate for drug law reform [CAN]
#6557169 - 02/12/07 04:32 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Ex-cop an advocate for drug law reform
Prohibition simply not working, speaker tells conference at UVic
February 12, 2007 - canada.com
A retired career cop speaking in favour of the legalization of drugs?
You've got to be kidding.
But Hunter McDonald, 63, is dead serious about his stance, so much so that he gave a speech at the eighth annual cannabis convention at UVic yesterday.
"It's my first talk so I'm really quite nervous," said McDonald outside the David Lam Auditorium before taking the podium.
"I'm not an advocate of drug use, but to promote legalization," McDonald said.
A young man sitting on a bench nearby rolled a joint. The smell of marijuana hung in the air.
McDonald is not a drug user himself, and says he never has been: "My drug of choice is a single-malt scotch," McDonald joked.
McDonald started his policing career in 1965 in St. Boniface, Man. In 1969, he transferred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and worked throughout Canada before retiring in 1992.
Then McDonald became director of security at the University of Victoria for a decade, and that's where he met marijuana activist Ted Smith. Now it was Smith's turn to ask for McDonald's co-operation in speaking to the gathering, a request McDonald was happy to grant.
Smith was delighted to have McDonald step forward. "This is one of the greatest signs I've seen that the truth is starting to come out about this plant [marijuana]."
Smith said it was "personally rewarding" to have a former adversary join him in the fight to legalize marijuana. "Legalization is the only real goal, especially for medical users," said Smith.
The silver-haired former policeman showed up wearing a white T-shirt with the words, "Cops say legalize drugs -- Ask me why," emblazoned on the back.
McDonald has found similar minds in the group LEAP, which stands for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. It's an international association, founded in 2002, of current and former members of law enforcement who believe existing drug policies have failed to address problems of crime, drug abuse, addiction and the illegal drug trade.
"Several retired police officers think I'm wrong, but others privately agree (the drug laws) are wrong," said McDonald.
The drug laws are funneling millions of dollars toward organized crime, he said. He compares "the war on drugs" to mob boss Al Capone getting rich from selling alcohol during Prohibition.
LEAP advocates the legalization of all drugs "and taking money from enforcement, jails and courts and putting it into treatment," McDonald said.
There's already a growing leniency toward petty drug crimes, he added.
"Young, modern cops are a lot more lenient than perhaps those of my generation," said McDonald.
He's speaking out as a way of contributing to society and isn't worried if people have different opinions than his.
"I've always tended to be before my time and concerned about the vulnerable people of society."
The issue of impairment is different than the legalization of drug use, he said. "Alcohol is legal but it's illegal to drink and drive." Impairment by drugs should be penalized under the law as alcohol is, McDonald said.
The government could cut down on deaths by regulating heroin so it's available at a consistent quality and a reasonable price. Getting addicts off the street will require a multi-pronged plan involving drug and mental-health treatment and low-cost housing, he said.
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Banez
 
Registered: 09/23/05
Posts: 15,181
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Re: Ex-cop an advocate for drug law reform [CAN] [Re: veggie]
#6557226 - 02/12/07 05:31 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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now we need some american cops to come out and take that stance..
i need to do some researching but i want to see how denver, colorado is doing ever since legalizing marijuana.
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 ApJunkie
part-time Ninja
Registered: 08/17/06
Posts: 1,908
Loc: Loc:Loc:Loc:Loc:Loc:
Last seen: 12 hours, 10 minutes
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Re: Ex-cop an advocate for drug law reform [CAN] [Re: Banez]
#6557463 - 02/12/07 09:30 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Banez said:
now we need some american cops to come out and take that stance..
i need to do some researching but i want to see how denver, colorado is doing ever since legalizing marijuana.
Meh, it's basically still illegal. You notice the difference in your fine when you get caught, but the cops still act like assholes and try to make you feel like you just killed Jesus.
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"No summit don't call me stupid when you don't know my back round."
-albino_shroom
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TuneInTurnOn
Guru
Registered: 12/11/06
Posts: 520
Loc: Toronto, Canada
Last seen: 14 days, 13 hours
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Re: Ex-cop an advocate for drug law reform [CAN] [Re: ApJunkie]
#6558604 - 02/12/07 02:51 PM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Wow, pot is legal in Denver? Is anyone here from there? Id be interested to know more about this, and how they would sell the weed (in stores, in special gov't booth's etc)
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My apartment in New York was on Perry Street, a five minute walk from the White Horse. I often drank there, but I was never accepted because I wore a tie. The real people wanted no part of me.
- The Rum Diary
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veggie
Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 5,779
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Re: Ex-cop an advocate for drug law reform [CAN] [Re: TuneInTurnOn]
#6558843 - 02/12/07 04:03 PM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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It's not legal in that sense. There is a thread about the law here.
The law says possession of an ounce or less is legal. But, it's more of a political statement as the city will continue to enforce Colorado state law. The state law has possession of an ounce or less illegal, but it's a petty offense like a traffic ticket or littering with a fine of $100, which is pretty lenient. Colorado is also a medical marijuana state, where you can have up to two ounces and six plants.
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