DECRIMINALIZE MARIJUANA NOW, REBAGLIATI SUGGESTS

Snowboarder Says Pot is 'Socially Accepted'

TORONTO - Pot has been part of Ross Rebagliati's public image since winning
his Olympic gold medal in snowboarding and he didn't shy away from the
issue Wednesday when asked if marijuana should be decriminalized.

"Absolutely," said Rebagliati.

"Right now the whole idea of it being decriminalized makes the legal system
function at a level that it should be functioning at and not clogging up
the courts and the judicial system and even jails or whatever for something
like that.

"It's becoming more socially accepted now than it ever had been in the
past. I think right now it's almost the sign of the times."

The 31-year-old from Whistler, B.C., was in Toronto at a downtown Roots
store to promote Vancouver's bid for the 2010 Olympic Games.

Rebagliati was initially stripped of his snowboarding gold in 1998 in
Nagano, Japan, after testing positive for marijuana, but the medal was
reinstated on appeal.

At the time, Rebagliati said he hadn't smoked up for almost a year and that
he was a victim of second-hand smoke at a party.

He avoided talking about decriminalization then, but the issue has been in
the news in recent weeks and Rebagliati was frank when asked about it
Wednesday.

"It's up to the politicians to decide still," he said.

"It's something that comes up. It's not every day that you hear the prime
minister talking about decriminalization and I think in the recent weeks,
everybody has been talking about it."

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon and Prime Minister Jean Chretien have both
said the Liberal government will introduce legislation soon to
decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot for personal use.

And there are cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, appealing
convictions for breaking pot laws on the basis that those laws infringe on
the Charter of Rights.

While Rebagliati and his lifestyle have benefited from the long shelf life
of his Olympic story and his medal, publicly admitting he smoked marijuana
has thrown a crimp in his life and it was part of the reason he retired
from competitive racing.

Rebagliati is not allowed into the United States. He needed a letter
written by Roots co-founder Michael Budman to American authorities to get
over the border to Salt Lake City to watch the 2002 Olympics.

He hasn't been to Europe since his competitive racing days ended but he
believes there would be problems travelling there and he knows for certain
going to Australia would be a problem.

"They use the same computer files and information," he said.

"It's a big problem actually. I can't compete in snowboarding anymore
because I can't get down to the States. Corporately, it's definitely a blow."

He is trying to get the travel ban lifted.

"I have a lawyer in Vancouver who is pursuing it for me," he said.

"Right now I'm just trying to play the cards right and not ruffle too many
feathers on the U.S. side of things."