CANUCKS IN HAZE ON POT

Decriminalization Plans Create Confusion: Poll

Canadians are confused about what the feds mean when they talk about the
decriminalization of pot, a new poll shows. The poll of 1,000 Canadians was
conducted between Jan, 28 and Feb. 2 by the polling firm SES for Tory MP
Randy White.

It's considered accurate to plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times
out of 20.

White said he was surprised by the confusion.

"The government is doing a very poor job. If they are moving into
decriminalization of marijuana, then they should spend hundreds of dollars
on television, on radio and in newspapers, explaining this to Canadians,"
White said.

Possession Illegal

The survey asked:"The Canadian government has recently moved to
decriminalize the personal possession of marijuana. Do you believe that
decriminalization (a) makes possession legal, (b) leaves possession
illegal, (c) unsure, (d) no answer.

"One out of every two, or 49%, of Canadians believe that decriminalizing
marijuana actually makes possession legal," SES president Nik Nanos said
the poll indicates.

Of those surveyed, 41% said they believed decriminalization leaves
possession illegal. With decriminalization, possession would be illegal but
not a criminal offence, like, for example, speeding.

The second survey question asked what the minimum age to possess marijuana
should be: 12 years and older; 16 and older; 18 and over; no age; or
"unsure." Respondents chose 18 and more than 77.6% of the time.