VANCOUVERITES SPLIT ON POT

Vancouver residents have mixed views about the possession and use of
marijuana, but many believe those who grow cannabis should face harsher
penalties, says a poll conducted for The Vancouver Sun.

"The numbers seem to indicate that Vancouverites are tolerant of use, but
they are not necessarily tolerant of growing because they equate growing of
marijuana with an element of crime," said Michael Rodenburgh,
vice-president of client services for POLLARA.

The Vancouver-based firm surveyed 300 Vancouver residents between Oct. 6
and 8 on their views of marijuana.

Thirty-one per cent said penalties for possession of marijuana are too
severe, 22 per cent said they are fine as they are, and 29 per cent said
they are too lenient.

However, 42 per cent thought penalties should be beefed up for those who
grow pot, while 17 per cent said they are too severe and 20 per cent said
they are fine.

Mayor Philip Owen said the opinions reflect society's trend towards
tolerating social or medical smoking of pot, but also indicate an unrest
with the low penalties meted out in court to those who grow cannabis.

"It's the major illegal marijuana grow operations that I think need to be
severely dealt with, and not just treated as a little minor nuisance," said
Owen, who chairs the police board.

"[But] I think there is a national debate going on now about its use for
medical purposes and the public is slowly rethinking this whole issue."

Indeed, 55 per cent of those polled said they thought pot should be
de-criminalized, which seems to support a move last week by federal Health
Minister Allan Rock to grant exemptions from criminal prosecution to 14
Canadians who use cannabis for medical purposes.

Only 42 per cent of those polled said they are very concerned or somewhat
concerned about marijuana in the city. Although younger people are more
tolerant than older generations, the least concerned age group was between
35 and 44.

The poll was conducted immediately after a Sun investigation that showed
only one in five people convicted of growing marijuana in Vancouver over
the past three years has been sentenced to any time in jail.

It also revealed that one in four served no jail time and paid no fine.
Most of those convicted of producing marijuana received a fine -- on
average less than $2,700.

When it comes to possession of marijuana, Vancouver police generally don't
lay charges if a person is found with a few joints or a small bag of pot.
The drug would be confiscated and a warning would be given, Constable Anne
Drennan said.

Drennan, who has been critical of the lenient penalties given by the courts
to those who grow marijuana, said the poll results reflect the priorities
police follow on the streets.

"Simple possession for personal use isn't something that we should waste
time with, but we should definitely continue to fight against other drug
issues, such as marijuana grow operations."

She argued that the estimated 100 large-scale growing operations in
Vancouver are not supplying the casual smoker, but are controlled by
organized crime, make huge profits and often exchange cannabis for cocaine
that is then sold on Vancouver streets.

Rodenburgh, of POLLARA, believes that as the public continues to debate the
de-criminalization of pot, the views between making and smoking marijuana
will become even more distinct.

"As society begins to accept this type of recreational marijuana use more
often, and government reacts to that, I think the opinion shift will
continue to widen between growing and using."

The poll results are considered accurate plus or minus 5.7 percentage
points, 19 times out of 20.

THE PENALTIES FOR POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA ARE:

Too severe 31%

Too lenient 29%

Fine as they are 22%

Don't know what penalties are 12%

Undecided 5%

Refused 1%

THE PENALTIES FOR GROWING MARIJUANA ARE:

Too lenient 42%

Fine as they are 20%

Too severe 17%

Don't know what penalties are 14%

Undecided 6%

Refused 1%