Fill the Hill 2004: Freedom March on Parliament Hill
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Saturday June 5th 2004

On Saturday June 5 2004 there will be an unprecedented political demonstration at Parliament Hill. This event will bring together prominent political leaders and top cannabis law reform activists from across Canada.

The purpose of this event is to visibly demonstrate, to our government, and to all of Canada, the significant amount of public support that exists for rational cannabis policy.

All who support genuine marijuana law reform are encouraged to attend. Help make this the largest and most effective cannabis law reform rally in Canadian history!

Prohibition of cannabis is harmful to ALL Canadians.

Prohibition hasn't reduced cannabis use, its simply driven the market underground. In a black market setting the value of cannabis is dramatically inflated and the high profit potential attracts organized crime. The prohibition of cannabis has created a multi-billion dollar underground industry in Canada. Cannabis prohibition is not only ineffective it is counter-productive. The Canadian taxpayer is paying for this policy in many ways.

Instead of regulating and taxing the sale of cannabis, like alcohol, our government wastes over $400 million of OUR tax dollars each year on the policy of cannabis prohibition, all the while making criminals out of otherwise law abiding Canadians. (Over 50,000 Canadians were charged with simple possession of cannabis in 2002!) Police and criminal justice resources are being wasted on cannabis "crimes". Society would be much better served if those resources were directed toward serious crimes

The Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs spent more than two years studying the cannabis issue. They reviewed dozens of reports, heard from more than 100 expert witnesses, and held more than 40 days of public hearings across Canada. Their 600 page report, issued in September 2002, is considered the most comprehensive report on cannabis to date.

The Senate Committee recommended that marijuana be legalized in a regulatory framework similar to alcohol.

Unfortunately, the Senate Committee's power is limited to giving recommendations.

The power to change marijuana laws is solely in the hands of politicians. This fact was strongly reinforced in December 2003 when the Supreme Court of Canada declared that if any cannabis law reform is to be forthcoming it must come from Parliament, not from the court.

Our government has a long history of resisting efforts to reform our nation's cannabis policies, even in cases where it involves federally approved medicinal marijuana users.

Politicians need to stop wasting our tax dollars on the ineffective and harmful policy of prohibition.

If you agree that these laws need to change you're in good company. Opinion polls consistently show strong public support (70%) for cannabis law reform, but that support is mostly invisible to our elected officials. This needs to change!

It's time to regulate marijuana.

Our government needs to act now to implement genuine cannabis law reform and stop ignoring the significant harms that result from prohibition.

Fill the Hill is YOUR opportunity to help bring about rational cannabis policy in Canada by attending this important event.

Help us make history on June 5th!

Get involved! For more information visit: http://www.fillthehill.ca

REGULATE CANNABIS / ELIMINATE THE BLACK MARKET
Cannabis prohibition is causing far more social damage than cannabis use. Prohibition is what got us to this point. More prohibition is not the solution.

Cannabis is a popular and relatively harmless substance, enjoyed by millions of Canadians. It's a multi-billion dollar industry in Canada. The demand will be supplied one way or another...

* In a REGULATED market there would be age restrictions, quality control, and accurate information available for people to make an informed decision to use cannabis or not.

* In an UNREGULATED market there are no such safeguards and no separation of markets for hard and soft drugs. Organized crime groups are attracted to the huge profit potential of marijuana grow operations. These profits are then used to fund other illegal ventures, such as the importation and sale of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and guns. In the black market there are no legal avenues to resolve business disputes, so instead threats, intimidation, and violence are utilized to protect financial interests.

JUST SAY 'NO' TO DECRIM
In the words of Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, chair of the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, "Decriminalization is just another form of prohibition." Under a policy of decriminalization cannabis is still prohibited and supply remains in the black market. We don't have a cannabis problem, we have a prohibition problem.

STOP WASTING POLICE AND COURT RESOURCES
Senate Special Committee called the current policy of prohibition a "complete failure." They also emphasizing the wasted police and court resources stating, "Billions of dollars have been sunk into enforcement without any great effect." Regulation would free up a significant amount of police resources that could be redirected to crimes involving real harms, such as theft and violence.

ENSURE SAFE ACCESS FOR MEDICAL USERS
There are 400,000 Canadians who need medical cannabis and only 700 Health Canada exemptions exist to legally use medical cannabis. This is shameful. Canadians deserve a much better standard of care. We must remove the barriers to safe access for cannabis for medical patients.