POT TALK ALL THE RAGE AS DEBATE KEEPS ROLLING ALONG

What do Homer Simpson, Woody Harrelson and Bill Clinton all have in common?
They have all done the forbidden dance with Miss Mary Jane.

Marijuana is getting more publicity and is becoming a pop-culture phenomenon
thanks in part to the recent talks in Parliament Hill over Canada's
recreational drug of choice.

As most already know, the few sweet months of THC-toking freedom have come
to an abrupt end, thanks to the Ontario Appeal Court, which decided Oct. 8
that Canada's marijuana laws be restored to their former glory.

This is not the first time, and will likely not be the last, that the
government has debated the place of marijuana in society. From the time
cannabis was introduced to North America in the early twentieth century,
much controversy has surrounded it. Laws were not set in place to ban the
use of cannabis, however, until the Opium and Narcotic Drug Act of 1923 when
paranoia arose due to rumours smoking the substance leads to murderous rage
and possibly even death.

But with age comes wisdom, and as the years passed, much of this information
was brushed off by Canadians as propaganda. When the free love of the 1960s
found its way into Canadian society, our love/hate affair with marijuana
began all over again.

Today there are an estimated 1.7 million current marijuana users throughout
Canada and recreational use is on the rise. But even though more people are
accepting marijuana as a mainstream pastime, not all believe the hazy fog of
a marijuana high is good for society.

According to Statistics Canada, 69,989 reports were filed to the police for
marijuana possession or trafficking in 2002, most of which were for simple
possession. The Northwest and Yukon territories have the highest rate of
cannabis offences, with Ontario coming in tenth, followed only by Manitoba
and Quebec.

The cost of controlling the spread of marijuana is high. The Auditor General
of Canada estimates nearly $450 million was spent on drug enforcement,
control and programs from 1999 to 2000. Taking into consideration
three-quarters of all drug offences are cannabis-related, the total cost to
Canadian taxpayers is nearly $340 million.

The White House has criticized Canada's law reforms from the beginning,
claiming decriminalization of marijuana would lead to increased trafficking
across the border. In fact, very little of the U.S.'s pot comes from
Canadian suppliers and there is little proof that pot use leads to criminal
activity.

Others argue it is harmful to society and the individual. While there is
evidence cannabis use can damage lungs and impair concentration, in
comparison to other substances, marijuana's power is relatively weak. Its
physical and emotional dependency, as well as toxicity, is low, while
alcohol and tobacco both rate high on the addiction scale.

Only time will tell if Canada will find a balance between prohibition of pot
and complete legalization, but one thing is for sure - we will never stop
talking about pot; no matter what.