Newsworld spotlight on the "Pot Problem" and the president of the Ontario Association of Police Chiefs Ean Elgar's comments on the Green Tide Summit.

CBC Radio. A report by a UN agency criticizes the site – calling it a violation of international drug control treaties, for allowing people to use illegal drugs in a government-sanctioned site. Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell correctly calls the UN report the US War on Drugs working through the International Agency. The audio link is on the lower portion of the CBC show-page. http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=bc_vpd_sis20040303

BBC. International experts and community activists have condemned the government's decision to reclassify cannabis. More than 300 people gathered at Belfast City Hall on Thursday to debate the issue. The government reclassified cannabis to a class C drug in January, putting it on a par with tranquilisers. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3533961.stm

CTV.ca . An American teenage girl was busted smuggling BC Bud into Fortress Amerika. Pitty the poor child as we all know what the DEA and the Federal American Justice System is capable of. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1078354711521_28/?hub=Canada

(Audio Only). By Steve GrzanichWBBM Newsradio 780(Chicago) -- Illinois lawmakers take a key vote today on a bill that would legalize marijuana for medical use. The House Healthcare Availability and Access Committee will hear testimony then decide whether to advance the measure to the full General Assembly. http://www.wbbm780.com/asp/ViewMoreDetails.asp?ID=34981

(Feb. 25) -- The latest push to legalize marijuana in Nevada was announced last week. And now an anti-legalization group is speaking out. Sandy Heverly is the group that opposes legalization. "In our opinion, it's not any different at all. It's about legislating now one ounce of marijuana. And what is one ounce of marijuana? It makes approximately 85 marijuana joints," she said. http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1670016&nav=168XL8BD

The battle lines are forming again over the issue of legalizing marijuana in Nevada. Pro-marijuana campaigners are collecting signatures for a new ballot initiative, but some voters are anything but high on the idea. News 3's Steve Crupi met with a voter who's upset over how the campaign is being conducted. http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=1670944&nav=15MVL79a

Newshawks Guardian 99 and Flash Gordon sent in these clips of Meth Lab busts, Grow Ops sprouting up like weeds, and Canada's incredible toll of pot possession charges.

Newshawk Guardian 99 sent us the latest of C-PAC regarding Bill C-10 (formerly Bill C-38), the bogus Canadian Decrim Bill, that brings fines for casual users and increased penalties for growers and distributors, as it jumps through yet more hoops and comes closer to being established as Canadian Law.

Marijuana possession has been pushing up the drug-related crime rate, which hit a 20-year-high in 2002, according to Statistics Canada. "The police-reported drug crime rate has risen an estimated 42 per cent since the early 1990s and now stands at a 20-year high," Statistics Canada reported. It said that 75 per cent of drug-related incidents in 2002 involved cannabis offences. Of that number, about 72 per cent were possession offences, 22 per cent were for trafficking and the remainder were for offences involving importation and production.