NO PAIN, NO GAIN

Canada's international reputation for tolerance isn't so accurate when
it comes to marijuana.

According to a recent Canadian Press story, the number of Canadians
arrested for possessing small amounts of marijuana jumped dramatically
in the last year.

The reason? The Liberal's bill to decriminalize marijuana is dead. In
fact, it's been dead since the Conservatives took office in 2006.

But apparently some Canadians haven't noticed the change.

"You'd have a youth smoking a joint out on the street without any fear
of being caught," Toronto police Detective Doug McCutcheon said,
adding some Canadians aren't aware this is still against the law.

So, in the interest of public service, let's clear this up. It's
illegal to possess marijuana, to smoke marijuana. It's also illegal to
grow it, sell it and, presumably, to bake it into cakes.

But in a country where "B.C. bud" is the stuff of legend, is a law
enough to keep Canadians away from the green?

Cocaine and heroin still conjure up images of track marks and skeletal
Hollywood starlets. But bring up marijuana and you're far more likely
to hear jokes about hippies getting the munchies.

In fact, a recent UN study says Canadians are far more likely to have
tried marijuana than citizens of any other industrialized country --
including America and the Netherlands.

Locally, both the Redcliff RCMP and the Medicine Hat Police Service
say marijuana use is widespread, and most users don't see getting high
as a big deal.

In response, the Redcliff RCMP take a zero tolerance approach to pot
possession, and the MHPS are on the hunt for local dealers.

But threats of arrest don't mean much to people who don't believe
they're doing anything wrong.

If the Conservative government and law enforcement professionals are
serious about keeping marijuana off the streets, they're going to need
a PR campaign that can undo years of pop culture.

One suggestion: Use the stereotypes. Pot is famous for giving users
snack food cravings, so link it to North America's obesity epidemic.

After all, an illegal drug may still seem like fun. But a fattening
drug? That's something Canadians might actually avoid.