SEND US YOUR DOPE SMOKERS

Ipsos-Reid kicked off the long weekend by releasing the results of public
opinion polls on marijuana use. While 55 percent of Canadians surveyed told
the pollsters they thought smoking weed shouldn't be a criminal offence,
the number was (surprise, surprise) higher in B.C., where 59 percent said
the same thing. Only Quebec was higher, at 63 percent. Interestingly, women
were evenly split on the same question, while 61 percent of men were for
decriminalization and 36 percent were opposed.

In another huge surprise, young Canadians were more supportive than their
sober elders of the plan to issue tickets and fines to people caught with
less than 15 grams of pot. A full 71 percent of respondents between ages 18
and 34 supported that change, recently proposed by the federal government.
But only 55 percent of people over 55 years old were in favour of the
fines. Does that mean they'd prefer stiffer penalties, or more lenient
ones? Guess it depends on whether or not they inhaled.