MARTIN: DECRIMINALIZE

Grit Leadership Candidate Wants Law Softened

Decriminalizing possession of small amounts of pot for personal use has the
support of the man most likely to be the next prime minister of Canada.

"I think the idea of giving a young person a criminal record because they
happened to get caught with a very, very small quantity (five to 30 grams)
once in their life -- I don't think that's what we should be doing,"
Liberal leadership candidate Paul Martin told the Sun.

But he added: "I would not, under any circumstances, make it legal."

Ontario Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty said police resources are better
used chasing down crooks than focusing on recreational pot users.

Fine, Not Record

He supports the decriminalization of marijuana, believing simple possession
should carry a fine but not a criminal record.

"Depending on the judge you get, you can be saddled with a criminal record
for life," McGuinty said.

"I'd hate to think of the number of adults in positions of responsibility
today who -- had they been caught experimenting with marijuana, and brought
before a judge and received a criminal conviction -- would have been
prevented from doing the good work that they're doing now."

McGuinty said he would like to see police go after the organized crime
figures who supply drugs, such as the operators of clandestine grow houses.

All three Ontario political leaders -- McGuinty, Premier Ernie Eves and NDP
Leader Howard Hampton -- have admitted they experimented briefly with pot
in their youth.

'Puffing It'

NDP House Leader Peter Kormos said it would be difficult to find many
people today who haven't tried it.

"If they weren't puffing it ... there were around people who were," Kormos
said.

A Sun-Leger poll found 83% of Canadians who responded wanted less stringent
laws for pot possession. Only 14% of respondents believed pot should be
illegal in all circumstances. The highest area of resistance was in the
Prairies.

Kormos said the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes has led to a
general relaxing of attitudes.

"There are grannies out there smoking pot as a result of their glaucoma,"
Kormos said.