MARIJUANA: NEW POLL SHOWS AMERICANS WANT IT LEGALIZED

The ongoing debate on whether marijuana should be legalized gained
momentum recently with the release of a new poll in the U.S.

The Angus Reid survey coincides with other such efforts in showing
that the majority of Americans would like to see cannabis legalized.

The online survey, representative of a national sample of 1,003
American adults, found that 55 per cent of respondents support the
legalization of marijuana, while 40 per cent oppose it.

"As has been outlined in Angus Reid Public Opinion surveys conducted
in 2009 and 2010, a majority of Americans are calling for the
legalization of marijuana," the polling group said in a news release.

According to the poll, the groups most supportive of making cannabis
legal in the U.S. are Democrats (63 per cent), Independents (61 per
cent), men (57 per cent) and respondents aged 35-to-54 (57 per cent).

While the majority of Americans would like to see laws governing the
use of weed modernized, citizens are less than supportive and even
disappointed when it comes to their government's efforts to battle
the flow of other drugs.

Only nine per cent of respondents believe the "War on Drugs" - the
efforts of the U.S. government to reduce the illegal drug trade - has
been a success, while two thirds (67 per cent) deem it a failure, the
findings revealed.

"Across the country, 64 per cent of respondents believe America has a
serious drug abuse problem that affects the entire United States,
while one-in-five (20 per cent) perceive a drug abuse problem that is
confined to specific areas and people," the survey stated. "One-in-20
Americans (five per cent) think America does not have a serious drug
abuse problem."

The survey went on to find that 10 per cent of Americans support
legalizing ecstasy.

Smaller proportions of respondents would consent to the legalization
of powder cocaine ( nine per cent), heroin (eight per cent),
methamphetamine or "crystal meth" (seven per cent), and crack cocaine
(seven per cent), it was revealed.

"Cannabis is definitely not seen as a substance that is as harmful as
other illegal drugs, as evidenced in the minuscule level of support
for the legalization of cocaine or heroin," noted the poll.

In this country, it is still against the law to use or grow marijuana
for personal everyday use, even though a 2008 Angus Reid poll
revealed that 53 per cent of respondents support the legalization of the drug.

Less than 10 per cent of, however, believed other drugs - such as
ecstasy, powder cocaine, heroin, crack cocaine and crystal meth -
should be legalized.

Just over nine years ago, Canada became the first nation to regulate
the consumption of cannabis for medical reasons.

Last week, Health Canada held a hearing in Montreal to receive
feedback from groups regarding the future of medical marijuana in Canada.

Courts are still dealing with related issues.

Many people, meanwhile, are still waiting for the federal health
department to move ahead with an announced intention to change Health
Canada's rules on access to cannabis.

A clarification would make it easier for patients to purchase
marijuana from private, licensed providers.

Although momentum to legalize the drug may be gaining power, police
are remaining adamant on the dangers related to its usage.

Provincial RCMP has gone on the record as saying many people are
under the false impression that marijuana is a soft or harmless drug.

Police believe marijuana is a dangerous, illegal substance with the
potential to cause serious impairment, and create lasting physical
and psychological problems.

But, if polls can be used as an accurate reflection of public moods,
the debate on marijuana and its usage is one that seemingly will not
go away. Eventually, it will have to be dealt with in a more public forum.

Then the real fun starts.