U.S. cautions Canada on marijuana law

OTTAWA, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- A U.S. lobbying group is warning Canada's Conservative government mandatory penalties for minor marijuana possession will be an ineffective, cash-sucking flop.

The letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper was sent by the Law Enforcement Against Prohibition lobbying group of current and former U.S. judges and law enforcement officials as the Conservatives' crime reform bill is being debated in the Senate, Postmedia News reported.

"We are … extremely concerned that Canada is implementing mandatory minimum sentencing legislation for minor marijuana-related offenses similar to those that have been such costly failures in the United States," the letter said. "These policies have bankrupted state budgets as limited tax dollars pay to imprison non-violent drug offenders at record rates instead of programs that can actually improve community safety.

"Sixteen U.S. states and the District of Columbia have passed laws allowing some degree of medical use of marijuana, and 14 states have taken steps to decriminalize marijuana possession," the group wrote.

The Conservative bill was drafted to address gangs, organized crime and commercial marijuana greenhouses, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said. However, it also carries a mandatory minimum sentencing provision for those caught with small amounts of pot, the report said.