guilty to his first drugs offence on Thursday.

Alvin Eugene Symonds was told "behave yourself'' and to "stay far from drugs'' after he admitted having 7.18 grams of cannabis in a search at Hamilton Police Station.

Crown Counsel Dwayne Caines said Symonds, of Elliott Street, Pembroke, was in the station on an unrelated matter when the jailer found two packets in separate pants pockets at 10.30 p.m. on August 19.

Symonds said the drugs were not for supply but for his personal use.

He was fined $1,000 and given a three month prison sentence which Mr. King suspended for two years.

Mr. King told him: "You are lucky. This just might be your lucky day!'' Mr. King was hinting that Police could have charged Symonds with the additional charge of having drugs near an exclusion zone near schools and places where there might be children.

"The Police Station? The Cathedral is right there. The Methodist church is right there, that pink place, and St. Paul's,'' he explained, pointing northward. "Now you know what is coming, stay away from drugs. Don't just say it, have nothing to do with illicit drugs.

"And if you are going to do the lawful one don't come out on the street and be drunk and incapable or be driving,'' Mr. King added. "Behave yourself.'' Mr. King also launched into a commentary on local politics when he said: "To the majority of the elected members of parliament...And anyone else for that matter.

"Until the Governor puts his signature to a bill to make it a law, the use of cannabis, whether it is a big amount or a small amount, is still unlawful.

Cannabis and other unlawful drugs. The law has not been changed.

"Alternative sentencing? What is that,'' he asked, questioning the upcoming way to treat people who are relatively new at drug use and are caught.

The fine must be paid by December 31.