# Legal Pot in Canada: American response? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 26, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085 "2003-01-26T20:14:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/1 "2003-01-26T20:14:12Z")
Basically, pot is now legal in Canada (the law against pot has been struck down as unconstitutional, because the Government has made no meaningful medical use exception). [http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/front/RTGAM/20030103/wxpott0103/Front/homeBN/breakingnews](http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/front/RTGAM/20030103/wxpott0103/Front/homeBN/breakingnews) The best argument I have heard against legalization is that the American government will be outraged and take retaliatory measures. What do Americans think about this situation? ---
**Author:** ![Hazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Hazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazel)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/2 "2003-01-26T20:15:53Z")
I, for one, am envious. Good going, Canada! ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/3 "2003-01-26T20:18:46Z")
Retaliatory measures? Like what? ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/4 "2003-01-26T20:25:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Neurotik \* > \*\*Retaliatory measures? Like what? \*\* I don’t know. What I heard, was that the legalization in Canada would result in more border inspections (though the terrorist threat is already accomplishing this), ostensibly to prevent pot from coming over - although BC bud has been crossing the border for years, so the _real_ reason would be to punish Canada for legalization by increasing bureaucracy and hassles at the border. As I said, I have no source on this - just rumours. There are many ways in which the US gov’t could make its displeasure felt - I throw the floor open to any who know more about this topic than I, as to (a) what those measures might be; and (b) whether the US would actually take them. ---
**Author:** ![anonplz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@anonplz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anonplz)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/5 "2003-01-26T20:35:37Z")
I’m ambivalent. While I neither use pot nor approve of drug abuse (frankly, people who do turn my stomach), pot is probably the least physically harmful psychotropic drug, and so, the big picture could be that this action merely reflects a Canadian tolerance and egalitarianism more characteristic of liberal Western Europe than puritanical North America. However, there are other, much more positive ways in which Canada respects that tolerance, i.e., its generally positive regard for human sexuality, its deep respect for civil and human rights, its high regard for indigenous societies and listening to their voices, and other areas that are probably not coming to mind at the moment. On the other hand, one could look at it as a worrisome indication of how much Canadians, like the Swiss or the Dutch, disregard the physical health of their society’s members. Also, it will probably introduce criminal/outlaw elements, and Canada may rue the day this happened. But there are more important things to worry about at the moment. It’s certainly not the end of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Hazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Hazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazel)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/6 "2003-01-26T20:44:22Z")
anonplz, you say that legalization “…will probably introduce criminal/outlaw elements…” I’d think the oposite would be the case. When you legalize a drug, you get the criminals out of it. Criminals were heavily involved in distributing alcohol to the populace during Prohibition, but not before Prohibtion, and not after it. ---
**Author:** ![anonplz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@anonplz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anonplz)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/7 "2003-01-26T21:10:20Z")
Well, as we all know, pot production and distribution is a global, high profit, black-market industry, and the people who are involved in it will undoubtedly attempt to access this new “market”. For real-world evidence of the potential problems which can break out in countries where legalized businesses are illegal in most other countries, witness the violence which broke out in Amsterdam several years ago between rivals in the pot trade. ---
**Author:** ![Virgowitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9fc348/32.png) [@Virgowitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Virgowitch)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/8 "2003-01-26T21:10:43Z")
Hopefully it will go a long way toward removing the social stigma against marijuana and ease the way for complete legalization here. Marijuana Returned to Calif. Asthmatic INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) - Clutching a big brown bag of marijuana, an asthma sufferer who said he uses the drug as medicine walked out of a sheriff’s station after being allowed to reclaim 15 plants seized from his backyard last year. ``I feel justice has been served and it’s a good thing,’’ John Watson said Thursday. Watson said he grew the marijuana in a greenhouse for personal use, which is permitted under California’s 1996 medical marijuana law if a doctor recommends it. Last September, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies received a complaint about Watson and seized his plants. He was not arrested. Prosecutors later determined the marijuana was legal and did not file charges, said Watson’s lawyer, Allen Weinberg. A court ordered on Jan. 14 that deputies to return the pot. Watson, a 30-year-old carpenter, said he may seek damages because the estimated 5.7 pounds of pot was dried out and probably useless. `It's pretty much destroyed,'' he said. `It was going to be my medicine for the next year.’’ He said medical cannabis groups generally sell the drug for $40 for an eighth of an ounce - about the amount Watson uses daily when he is fighting attacks. At that price, his seized marijuana would have been worth more than $30,000. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/9 "2003-01-26T21:11:44Z")
> [@](#): > > While I neither use pot nor approve of drug abuse (frankly, people who do turn my stomach) Use is not equal to abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/10 "2003-01-26T21:14:23Z")
I’m all for medical (and recreational marijuana… but using pot for asthma? How the hell does that work? ---
**Author:** ![anonplz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@anonplz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anonplz)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/11 "2003-01-26T21:29:52Z")
> [@](#): > > originally posted by blalron > > **Use is not equal to abuse.** No, of course not. It’s just that with pot, the “legitimate” usages are far more limited than what some advocates would have it. There may indeed be medically beneficial areas, like the alleviation of nausea associated with noxious medications, or relieving the pressure from glaucoma, but aside from those areas, the line separating use and abuse is fairly clear. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/12 "2003-01-26T21:31:19Z")
Now that would be a switcheroo! When I was a much younger man, almost all the reefer came from Mexico. There were various strains, with varying effects. Oaxaca grew a light, playful kind of pot, Guerero was skull crush, very physical. Michuacan was the delight of all. Pot coming from Viet Nam was very very physical, with a high paranoia factor, likely due to bad karma. Panama Red, Durango Ditchweed, Acapulco Gold… So Canada will grow the reef and smuggle it across the longest unguarded border in the world. Toronto Taupe? Utterly Ottawa? Cool. America’s tight-ass reaction? Probably raise the rent. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/13 "2003-01-26T21:56:46Z")
I think America has in fact threatened trade sanctions in uncertain terms already when the whole “we’re going to decriminalize it” came out. I’ll check for sites if anyone wants. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/14 "2003-01-26T22:27:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erislover \* > \*\*I think America has in fact threatened trade sanctions in uncertain terms already when the whole “we’re going to decriminalize it” came out. I’ll check for sites if anyone wants. \*\* I’m curious. First, has the U.S. ever had sanctions against Canada? If so, for what? Second, are such sanctions allowed under the NAFTA treaty? ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/15 "2003-01-26T22:33:01Z")
Well, the ‘extract’ spray should be going on sale here with 12 months or so. I have no idea how the US administration is going to justify – even arrest and charge, I guess – it’s citizens for possession of what will be a prescribed medicine for relief of acute pain, etc. in peer countries. To multiple sclerosis victim; “You are charged with illegally trying to relieve pain by the purchase of legitimately prescribed drugs over the Internet” I think the game might be up, Mr President. Time to open the prisons. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/16 "2003-01-26T22:40:34Z")
Well, that’s it then, isn’t it? The end of Western Civilzation, total moral depravity, dogs and cats living together, streets full of wild eyed and deranged potheads, moving in feral herds searching for Haagen-Daz… ---
**Author:** ![Azael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@Azael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azael)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/17 "2003-01-26T22:43:25Z")
Don’t forget all the children shooting each other… Marijuana kills. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/18 "2003-01-26T22:59:36Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by don’t call me lucy_ > … The end of Western Civilzation, total moral depravity, dogs and cats living together, streets full of wild eyed and deranged potheads, moving in feral herds searching for Haagen-Daz… I know, I know, and that’s just the Grannies with back ache. God knows what will happen if they get their hands on…anti-depressants and HRT ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/19 "2003-01-26T23:00:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Virgowitch \* > **It’s always 4:20 somewhere on earth.** Um… No it’s not. Only once an hour it is 4:20 in two timezones (and a couple other times of the day there is only one, Newfoundland for example or someplace in india). Besides my useless nitpick… I’m glad that Canada has finally taken some steps in the direction of legalizing it. The amount of work that goes into preventing the use of pot could go to a better cause. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085/20 "2003-01-26T23:00:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by anonplz \* > \*\* It’s just that with pot, the “legitimate” usages are far more limited than what some advocates would have it. There may indeed be medically beneficial areas, like the alleviation of nausea associated with noxious medications, or relieving the pressure from glaucoma, but aside from those areas, the line separating use and abuse is fairly clear . \*\* I don’t think the "legitimate " usages of pot are limited at all. One of the most legitimate uses I can think of is the most common use of all: using pot to relax. I am troubled by your use of the words “use” and “abuse.” You imply that any usage of marijuana other than those usages that YOU consider legitimate (which I don’t agree with to begin with-- see above) are abuse. A consenting adult lighting up once a month or so just for fun… is HE using or abusing? What if it’s a couple beers every month? Use or abuse? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-pot-in-canada-american-response/151085.md?page=2)