CANADIANS HIGH ON MEDICINAL POT: POLL

Medicinal pot users say they weren't blowing smoke when they claimed
most Canadians support their cause - now they have the numbers to prove it.

A recent Decima poll showed 78% of Canadians support the use of
marijuana for medical treatment. Just 18% of respondents opposed it.
The study is considered accurate within plus or minus 2.1%, 19 times
out of 20.

"More than anything it says (the idea) is more popular than any of the
political parties. They're lucky to get 40% support," said Amanda
Stewart, director of the Cannabis Re-legalization Society of Alberta.

"I think that with everyone pushing for it, it's inevitable."

Decima Research Inc. asked 2,026 adults whether they strongly agree,
agree, oppose or strongly oppose the federal government's
consideration of legalizing pot as a medical treatment.

The strongest support, 83%, came from households with at least $60,000
annual incomes and individuals with a university education. Fewer
older people were enthusiastic about the plan, which is being studied
by Health Minister Allan Rock, but a vast majority - 72% - of those
over 50 did support it.

Twenty years ago, a Decima poll showed 55% of Canadians opposed and
39% favoured a federal initiative to reduce criminal implications
associated with marijuana.

"I'm not surprised by the numbers," said Harland Calliou, who admits
he uses the drug as an appetite stimulant. "I guess people have
stopped listening to the devil-weed stories and are realizing it's
good for everything and bad for nothing."

Stewart estimated about 10% of the population in Edmonton already uses
the drug to ease physical pain and-or mental anguish.

She says pot helped her through serious bouts of depression when she
was in her early 20s and said the government could capitalize on it.

"Right now people are making huge amounts of money on the black
market," she said. "It's not under control at all."

A march is planned for April 20 beginning at Emily Murphy Park, and
5,000 pro-pot postcards are being mailed to Rock, Stewart said.