The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

r & mmWi mm* Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, December 18,2002 - S by Peter Jaworski None of Ottawa's business Cannabis may be treated differently differently by our federal law very soon. If Martin Cauchon, Federal Justice Minister, is to be taken at his word then, within the first four months of the new year, Canada's marijuana marijuana possession laws will be laxened. Friends, in philosophical circles, will explain the importance importance of a do-good-for-you kind of policy approach. They point to abstract numbers in fights against this or that general general hoodlumism, or poor behaviour. Senselessness with respect to your own mind and body. Really, what sort of buffoon buffoon would mistreat him or herself? Cart them off in a paddywagon, shackles and all. Cheeseburger, anyone? Marijuana may yet lead to something else. Especially if you are prone to boredom. You may begin with marijuana, marijuana, and end up on something a little more dastardly. A chemical chemical more potent, maybe, or something else. This is the threat anyway. The supposed slippery slope that begins with marijuana, and ends with spray paint fumes and collapsed lungs. At least, that is the wisdom emi- nating from the Drug Enforcement Agency in the United States. It has not been common wisdom, however, as even the Canadian Senate disputes disputes such findings. The question is whether or not the slope we're talking about here is, in fact, slippery. Does the smoking of marijuana marijuana cause drug use of greater harm, or is it discrete, to a certain certain degree? This is not an idle question. Most everyone who winds up doing serious drugs began with smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. We would not be as hasty to call those things into question, if only because we have ample evidence evidence of people who smoke and drink and do nothing else besides. Even if smoking pot is a gateway drug, what can you say about the sanctimoniousness sanctimoniousness of an Ernie Eves or Martin Cauchon? Each admitting admitting to puffing on pot themselves--the themselves--the Premier in what he refers to as his "salad days", and Mr. Cauchon, who is 39, explains that, well, "of course", he smoked a bit of pot, he is, after all, of a generation generation where everyone smoked pot. Their revelry is tossed aside as some humorous bit of youthful indiscretion. And certainly it would, and, dare I say it, should be were it not for the fact that those unlucky enough to be caught have their futures dimmed. I wonder if the Canadian public would allow a Justice Minister convicted convicted on drug charges, or a Premier with a similar rap sheet? The trouble is the palpable mockery this makes of our legal system. Whatever you think of marijuana, the broad- Season's Greetings and wishes for health @ happiness! Mercer's Garage fe 7^ % Santa Paws Makin' a list, checkin' it twice ... a holiday petsitter sure would be nice ! Don't be disappointed; call now to book in time for Christmas! For Professional Pet Care Call: LovedBounds Serving all of Clarington Petsitting & Transport Quality Care for Your Pets! Call Wendy Partner 905-983-9238 Cell 905-440-0368 E-mail: loveabounds@msn.com Proud Member of Petsitters International -Bonded & Insured Fred DeVries proprietor • FREE ESTIMATES • COMPETITIVE RATES • • INSURANCE CLAIMS • FRED'S AUTOBODY (905) 623-6353 163 Baseline Road, Unit 1 Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3L4 Complete Collision Repair, Restoration and Refinishing Yuletide Greetings May, yowt holidays he (kiyht and nwtny! piom 'l/icton, 'Téatt To all my friends and neighbours... Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Les Morgan er implications of a law so readily cast aside should cause us to pause a moment and maybe reconsider it. A slope whose slipperiness is much more certain is that of the criminal. Scoff at one law and you are tempted to scoff at many more. Thus ensuring respectable laws, or increasing the celerity of enforcement, are the serious options. In the case of marijuana, the costs of added enforceability may simply simply be too steep. Then again, what business is it of mine to inquire as to what you choose to put in your lungs anyway? Statistical public public policy considerations may simply have to give way, in cases like these, to questions of jurisdiction. Namely, who has jurisdiction over your mind or body? Not everything, after all, should fall under the rubric of governmental oversight. As I see it, some things just aren't any of Ottawa's business. Like whether or not you decide to smoke pot. DAiffimm It's a fact that many fire deaths are caused by people attempting attempting to cook or smoke while under the influence of alcohol. There's more to responsible drinking than taking a cab. Don't put yourself- or your family- $ at risk to fire. Cerrens Wellness Centre if Jewellery & Candles & Art & Clothing if Gift Baskets & Certificates Health Supplements if Body Care Products Wheat Grass Jiave a Merry Christmas & Jfappy'New Year ! HOLIDAY HOURS Dec. 19 & 20 - open until 7:00pm Sat. Dec. 21 - 9:30am - 5:30pm Dec. 23 & 24 - 9:30am - 5:00pm December 25, 26, 27 & 28 - Closed Boxing Day Specials on December 30 & 31 5324 Main Street, Orono 905-983-5000 Whhiny ijauc a oafc and happy, holiday oeaton, piam owe home, to yowto Joyce Aw,d ccirl NEWCASTLE FUNERAL HOME 905-987-3964 to all our friends, neighbours and customers Mel, Keum S Scott Mel Hartwig Excavating Ltd. 5965 Main St., Orono, ON LOB 1M0