CANNABIS CANADA: DECRIM ON THE WAY, SAYS PRIME MINISTER

THE PEOPLE ARE READY, SAYS POLL

The process of reforming Canada's marijuana laws has moved at the pace
of the Kokanee Glacier, but it now appears that cannabis
decriminalization will be a reality this year. Prime Minister Jean
Chretien has said so, the Liberal Party contenders to be his successor
are climbing on board, and the public is right behind, according to a
recent national poll.

"We will soon introduce legislation to decriminalize possession of
small amounts of marijuana so that young people do not have
unnecessary criminal records for the rest of their lives," Chretien
announced at a party fundraising dinner in Ottawa Tuesday night. "At
the same time we will have a drug strategy to discourage young people
from using drugs, and which will target drug traffickers."

It has become apparent that such a position is increasingly
uncontroversial, even beneficial, for Canadian politicians. A poll
released this week provided the latest evidence. A national poll for
Sun Media conducted by Leger Marketing found that an overwhelming 83%
of Canadians favor some sort of liberalization of the nation's
marijuana laws. The poll found 20% supporting legalization, 43%
supporting legalization for medical purposes and 20% supporting
decriminalization. Only 14% favor the status quo.

"It seems that with just 14% now saying it should be illegal, that's
really saying people think changes needed to be made soon in some way,
shape or form," said Leger Marketing pollster Leslie Martin.

Other polls have shown support for marijuana decriminalization at near
50% and support for medical marijuana at above 60% of the voters.

Politicians are beginning to take notice. Two of the three leading
contenders for the governing Liberal Party's leadership after Chretien
takes his planned retirement have endorsed decrim, while a third has
waffled.

Sheila Copps, one of the candidates, added her name to the list of
backers, saying she "absolutely" supported decrim. "I support it, but
I haven't been on record, so I am now," the Liberal leadership
candidate told Canada Press Sunday.

She joins frontrunner Paul Martin, who told Sun Media the same day he
supported decrim but not legalization. "I think the idea of giving a
young person a criminal record because they happened to get caught
with a very, very small quantity (5-30 grams) once in their life -- I
don't think that's what we should be doing," Martin said. "But I would
not, under any circumstances, make it legal."

So when is decrim coming? Justice Minister Martin Cauchon, who was
also at the Tuesday fundraiser in Ottawa, told Reuters "as soon as
possible" and definitely before parliament takes its summer recess in
June.

Sen. Pierre Claude Nolin, chair of the Senate committee that authored
the report calling for the outright legalization of cannabis for those
over 16, told a Washington, DC, press conference this week he expected
a measure to pass by Christmas. Nolin took pains, however, to point
out that "decriminalization" is not a correct term for Canada's
pending cannabis law reform, which is more accurate described as
"depenalization" -- the lowering of penalties with use continuing to
be illegal.

Looks like Canada may celebrate the New Year in a new way.