BOW VALLEY DOESN'T BUCK TOKING TREND

With Canadians earning the dubious honour of being the biggest
marijuana users in the industrialized world, Bow Valley residents
don't buck the toking trend -- though it's not as bad as it used to be.

In the United Nations 2007 World Drug Report, it was found Canadians
used marijuana four times the world average. Canada was also ranked
fifth in the world for pot use behind Ghana, Zambia, Papua New Guinea
and Micronesia.

As the top industrialized nation on the list, Canada has to contend
with being a country ready to light up.

Nation-wide, British Columbia always gets tagged as the smoke heavy
province, but Alberta is not abstaining from the drug.

Once A Major Problem

In the Bow Valley, marijuana use was once a major problem with large
busts carried out by police on a regular basis. But after last year's
big crackdown on trafficking, large-scale raids have declined because
the drugs just aren't there.

"I know our Bow Valley GIS unit concentrated on that problem real
heavy last year," said Banff RCMP Cpl. Mike Stourac. "I think it
slowed it down and hammered it quite a bit."

While the bigger busts have shaken out the large-scale dealers, there
are still smaller amounts circulating.

Police often end up finding small amounts during routine traffic
stops and are then faced with an argumentative driver saying they've
done nothing wrong because they thought it was legal.

It's that perception of marijuana being exempt from the law that
experts say keeps people lighting up. Not only is it a more socially
acceptable drug, but people aren't aware of the legal or health
issues involved. It all keeps marijuana circulating in the Bow Valley
and Canadians at the top of the pot smokers' list.

"I think there's that concept that it's not harmful, that's its not
addictive and that you can kind of take it or leave it," said Alberta
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission addictions councillor Fred Folliott.

Harmful Drug

Folliott said 80 per cent of the clients they've seen in the area
over the last few years admit to using marijuana, but don't list it
as one of their drugs of concern. Alcohol and cocaine top that list
even though pot does have its health risks.

While the majority of people that use it don't develop a habit, it
can become addictive and it contains carcinogens.

Folliott said driving while high is also a rising problem, as people
don't associate it with impairment like they do alcohol.

On the legal side, a pot bust could tag the user as a criminal and
limit travel options to the U.S. and overseas.

And as the RCMP make a concerted effort to stamp out pot in the
valley, small amounts are still floating around.

"I remember when I first started it was more stopping people with big
amounts and there were many dealers, but it's smaller now," Stourac said.