TORONTO, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Canada's Parliament has the constitutional right to make possession of marijuana a crime, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled Tuesday.
The court handed down a 6-3 ruling upholding a 1923 law that made possession of marijuana illegal.
The case stemmed from claims by three men who had been convicted of violating marijuana laws. Their main argument was that the drug is harmless.
The Toronto Globe and Mail, on its Web site, quoted the majority opinion as stating: "Our concern is solely with the issue of constitutionality. We conclude that it is within Parliament's legislative jurisdiction to criminalize the possession of marijuana should it choose to do so.
"Equally it is open to Parliament to decriminalize or otherwise modify any aspect of the marijuana laws that it no longer considers to be good public policy."
New Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin recently said he would introduce legislation to decriminalize possession of small amounts -- perhaps 15 grams -- of marijuana.
The newspaper said an estimated 100,000 Canadians use marijuana daily.
