WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS...

0ver the last year, we tried very hard. So did The Economist and Alberta
Report. Financier George Soros has spent $15 million trying. Nobel
Prize-winner Milton Friedman, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz,
and commentator William F. Buckley have all tried. In fact, just about
every policy analyst in the field has tried. Despite all this, the
political powers-that-be refused even to discuss legalizing marijuana.

And then a little bit of dope was found in Ross Rebagliati's pee. Suddenly,
bright television lights shone down on stammering MPs, and many Canadians
who may never have thought about the issue are asking, so why is it
illegal? The snowboarder from Whistler may have inadvertently done what all
the incontrovertible evidence and the best efforts of many could not: The
political powers may finally be forced to answer for marijuana
criminalization.

An honest debate is far from certain, however. With the honourable
exception of Alexa McDonough - who favours decriminalization - party
leaders would sooner scrap their pensions than give a straight answer about
legalization.

But they may not be able to keep ducking the weed. The reaction of the
Canadian public to the Rebagliati scandal confirms what has become
increasingly clear: Most of the public no longer accepts the myth that
marijuana is a serious danger that warrants criminalization.

If parliamentarians still take seriously their responsibility to reflect
the public will in a considered way, the sweet smell of frank debate will
soon waft through the House of Commons.