CANADA WILL DECRIMINALIZE POT: MAYOR

As he prepares to give a speech at what's being billed as the "most
important event ever" organized in the battle against drug dependency,
Vancouver Mayor Philip Owen says he's convinced marijuana will eventually
be legalized.

A Senate committee said last week that the use of pot should be legal for
anybody over 16 and could be sold under controlled circumstances. Owen says
it's clearly time for a public debate on the issue.

"I think the public would be in favor of decriminalizing (pot)," Owen said
yesterday. "I've always looked upon that as a first step. I'm convinced
that eventually it will be legalized. I don't know if it will be next year
or in a few years. We're in the same stage talking about marijuana as we
were about alcohol in the 1920s when we had Prohibition."

His comments appeared to go against the city's new police chief, Jamie
Graham, who said last week no drugs should be legalized. He believes pot is
a "gateway" drug that could lead to more harmful substances.

But Owen, who has spoken to Graham about the issue, said he believes most
people don't agree that pot is a stepping stone to cocaine or heroin and
called Graham's comments the RCMP approach -- the "old war-on-drugs approach."

"That's to me pie-in-the-sky thinking, that's 10 to 20 years old," said
Owen, whose Montreal speech will deal with the so-called four pillars
approach to attacking drug dependency. The Sept. 22 to 27 forum on drugs is
expected to attract 3,000 delegates from 50 countries.

The 24,000-member National Association of Professional Police, Canada's
largest police association, yesterday opposed the Senate recommendation and
asked Health Minister Anne McLellan to take the lead in cabinet and view
the possible legalization of pot as a serious health and social issue.