POT PLAGUING CANADA AND THE HAT

When it comes to cannabis, Canadians are world leaders.

According to the United Nations 2007 World Drug Survey, Canadians are
more likely to have used marijuana than citizens of any other
industrialized nation.

Only four countries had higher rates of marijuana use: Papua New
Guinea (29.5 per cent), Micronesia (29.1), Ghana (21.5) and Zambia
(17.7).

That's no surprise for Medicine Hat Police Chief Norm
Boucher.

"Marijuana use is actually quite prevalent," Boucher said. "In this
community also."

Boucher said police haven't found many marijuana growing operations in
the city. But, he added, a surge in pot production in Calgary, coupled
with prime growing conditions found in British Columbia, means more
marijuana finds its way to Medicine Hat.

"It spreads out like an octopus," Boucher said. "It comes to our
community as much as it goes to Lethbridge or other
communities."

Sgt. Brandon Smith of the Redcliff RCMP said the problem remains the
same outside city limits.

"The information we receive off the streets and from the general
public is it's rampant out there," he said. "People look at it as a
drug that's not harmful, and could be used on a regular basis and
won't cause you any harm."

In Redcliff, Smith said RCMP are taking a zero tolerance approach to
marijuana.

"We don't minimize it at all, in comparison to any other drug," he
said. "We're not just letting people off and giving them minor
warnings. We're taking them to task."

Medicine Hat police have their own strategy for dealing with marijuana
use.

"We're not actively looking for users," Boucher said. "That doesn't
mean we're not going to charge people for possession. But we're more
actively searching for and gathering information on the pushers."

Going after drug dealers is more efficient, he said, and gets to the
root of the problem.

"It takes the same amount of time to deal with users as it does a
pusher," he said. "So we would rather deal with the dealers, because
they're the ones raking -- or trying to rake -- profit out of this and
creating havoc in families."

While both the World Drug Survey and Boucher suggest drug production
is increasing, the number of actual users may not be.

According to the report, the number of marijuana users has remained
steady for the last five years.

Stan Wiens, of the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, said
he's seen a similar pattern locally.

"Our stats in terms of clients who come in with marijuana issues has
stayed fairly stable," he said. "We're not seeing an increase."

Though the number of users isn't going up, Wiens agreed Canadians
aren't taking drug use as seriously as they used to.