GOUK'S SURVEY SAYS LEGALIZE MEDICINAL MARIJUANA?

A recent survey by Kootenay-Boundary-Okanagan MP Jim Gouk shows almost 50
per cent of respondents in his riding support the commercial growth of
marijuana for medicinal purposes.

The Reform Party MP sent a questionnaire out with his fall, 1998 newsletter
asking questions on bank mergers, the MAI and marijuana. The results of the
final question were that 49.9 per cent were in favour of commercial growth,
19.6 per cent were "totally" opposed and 30.5 per cent wanted more
information.

"The reason that question was in there is because I have had people bring it
up in the riding," Gouk said from his Castlegar office.

"Because it's such a controversial area I basically wanted to go to the
public and say 'there are people who are proposing this and there is a lot
of discussion about it, how do you feel?' If a tremendous amount of the
riding says they don't want me to have anything to do with it, well, I'm
here to represent those people.

One of the main advocates of legalizing marijuana for health reasons is
Grand Forks Mayor Brian Taylor who currently has proposals before the
federal government.

Though not a scientific poll, Gouk said the results from the survey do give
him confidence to keep a careful eye on the proposals and concerns from his
riding.

"I will follow-up with the application that they're (Taylor) doing, it's
their project not mine," Gouk said. "I'm not going out beating the drum
trying to generate groups growing marijuana. But, I will support a group
within the riding seeking to find a way to become involved with getting a
legal permit to grow marijuana under controlled conditions to supply for
legal medical use."

Since he lives in one of North America's most notorious pot growing regions,
Gouk said over the years the issue of legalizing marijuana has come up
over-and-over. Medicinally, the MP said he believes the argument has merits.

"After talking to a lot of people I believe there is benefit from for some
people from marijuana," Gouk said. "The second thing is if you accept that
premise then why should they be forced to break the law in order to get that
particular ingredient to help them?"

If it happens Gouk said it would have to be strictly regulated. "We're going
step-by-step, we're not just throwing caution to the wind and saying let's
make all kinds of drugs available to people for whatever they want to use
them for," he said.

Though careful not to endorse any type of illegal activity, Gouk does
recognize the importance of marijuana to this area.

"I think a lot of people would be shocked if they knew the impact that the
growth of marijuana has on the growth of this area," said Gouk. "These
people go out and buy cars and eat in restaurants... the spinoffs are
tremendous. If you could somehow put something in the air and marijuana
would no longer grow here, people would notice the impact and they would
notice significantly."