GRASS GROWING: POLL SHOWS MARIJUANA SUPPORT ON THE RISE

TORONTO -- Public support to relax Canada's marijuana laws is rising
quickly, according to a new national poll that shows a decisive 83% want
pot prohibition to be less stringent.

Only 14% of respondents to a Sun-Leger poll said they supported the status
quo and thought marijuana should remain illegal in all circumstances.

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

The poll comes just as the federal government is preparing legislation
which would decriminalize the possession of small quantities of marijuana,
making it a summary offence instead of a criminal one.

Previous polls in Canada have shown a steady increase in support for
decriminalization and the use of marijuana for medicinal reasons. Nearly
half have supported decriminalizing pot and a majority (around 60%) have
been in favour of marijuana being used medicinally.

But to have 83% wanting more relaxed laws was surprising, Martin said,
especially when more than half of the survey respondents had never even
tried the drug.

"I expected the number of people who thought the drug should be illegal to
be higher," Martin said. "I expected people to say, 'I don't smoke pot,
I've never smoked it, I wouldn't smoke it, so it should be illegal' but
that doesn't seem to be the case.

"I think we are getting more and more people who are realizing the medical
benefits and a lot of people who are beginning to think the side-effects
perhaps aren't as bad as once thought," Martin said.

The Sun-Leger poll asked 1,501 people which of four statements best
described their sentiments. Twenty per cent said marijuana should be
legalized, 43% said it should be legalized for medical purposes, 20% said
possession should be decriminalized while 14% said the drug should always
be illegal.

Leger Marketing conducted a similar poll two years ago which used a
different question, providing people with only two choices: respondents
could say they were in favour of a federal law legalizing the sale and use
of pot or they were against it. In that poll, 47% said they were not in
favour of legalizing marijuana.

"I think you can draw a comparison and note that people seem to be more
ready now for changes to legislation," Martin said.

The latest survey also shows an increase in the number of people who have
smoked pot. In 2001, 60% of those surveyed told Leger they had never before
used marijuana while the latest poll shows more have smoked - now 56% have
never lit up.

The most tokers in the country are in B.C. where 53% have tried marijuana
at some time in their life.

"That's to no one's surprise," Martin said.

The poll of 1,501 Canadians was conducted April 1-6. It is considered
accurate within 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.