GROWING NUMBER OF CANADIANS WANT MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZED

PETER MANSBRIDGE: Now that marijuana has been okayed for medicinal
purposes, a growing number of Canadians say it's time to go to the next
step - decriminalize the drug altogether. Even our politicians are ready to
rethink laws that leave thousands of people every year with life-long
criminal records for smoking pot. Chris Goldrick reports.

CHRIS GOLDRICK (Reporter): It's estimated a million and a half Canadians
smoke pot. And that includes a growing number of young people who would
like to see the drug legalized.

REGINALD BIBBY (University of Lethbridge): We found among eighteen to
thirty-four year old's, almost sixty percent favour the legalization of
marijuana.

GOLDRICK: That's the finding of a study by Reginald Bibby, a professor at
the University of Lethbridge. After twenty years of holding steady at
around thirty percent, public support for legalizing marijuana has jumped
among all age groups to forty-seven percent.

BIBBY: The emphasis on using marijuana for medical purposes has really
added a lot of the legitimacy to the whole idea of legalizing marijuana.

GOLDRICK: But most people are talking about decriminalizing the drug,
making the penalty for possession a fine with no criminal offense. Others
contend the prohibition of marijuana actually promotes illegal activity.

EUGENE OSCAPELLA (Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy): We've had almost
eighty years of prohibition of cannabis. It hasn't stopped the use of the
drug. It hasn't stopped the production, and it's fed organized crime.

GOLDRICK: And Parliament may be ready to consider decriminalizing
marijuana. Recently, all five parties supported the creation of a Commons
Committee to study all non-medical drug use including marijuana.

ALLAN ROCK (Minister of Health): It does little good for that person to
arrest them and bring them before a criminal court or imprisonment.

GOLDRICK: Joe Clark says simple marijuana possession shouldn't be a
criminal offence.

JOE CLARK (Conservative Leader): I believe that it's unfair for someone who
makes a mistake in their youth to bear that burden forever.

GOLDRICK: The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police supports
decriminalizing marijuana, saying arrests for simple possession use up
valuable resources. Even so, some law enforcement officials don't think the
laws should be softened.

VINCE BEVAN (Ottawa Police Chief): I don't really care what kind of drugs
it is. What people see is this problem in their community and that's what
they want something done about.

GOLDRICK: But opponents of change seem to be in the minority. The Canadian
Medical Association Journal and groups such as Parents Against Drugs favour
decriminalizing marijuana. But don't look for change right away. The
Commons Committee and a Senate Committee looking into the issue won't
report back for at least a year. Chris Goldrick, CBC News, Ottawa.