POT SUPPORT GETTING HIGH

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 needed to be made soon in some way, shape or
form," said Leger Marketing pollster Lesli Martin.

The poll comes just as the feds are 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.

Medical Benefits

"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 six statements best
described their sentiments.

Twenty percent 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.

The latest survey also shows an increase in the number of people who have
smoked pot.

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.

Only 14% of Ontarians think pot should be illegal

Legalization By Province

The Prairies are the most likely to believe that marijuana should be
illegal under all circumstances. B.C. has the most lenient views, with less
than one-in-ten believing it should be illegal. Those surveyed were asked,
"There has been much discussion in the government regarding the regulation
of marijuana. Which of the following statements best represents your
feelings?":

Maritimes Que. Ont. Prairies Alta. B.C.

Should be legalized 15% 24% 18% 22% 17% 26%

Should be legalized for medical purposes 43 44 46 33 41 39

Possession decriminalized/ Selling a crime 27 17 18 18 22 26

Should always be illegal 13 14 14 24 17 9

Source: Leger Marketing, The Legalization of Marijuana in Canada Poll, 2003