SURVEY CASES THE JOINT

TORONTO -- Although most Canadians would like to see less stringent
marijuana laws, one-third believe smoking pot leads to the use of harder
drugs like heroin and cocaine, according to a new Sun-Leger poll.

The cross-Canada survey of 1,501 people shows 35% of Canadians believe the
so-called "gateway" theory.

"It's interesting that we found that a majority of people want relaxed
marijuana laws but 35% still believe smoking it will lead to an increase in
the use of harder drugs," said Leger pollster Leslie Martin.

GATEWAY DEBATE

Nearly half the respondents -- 49% -- said marijuana would not lead to
harder drugs, while 9% said smoking pot would decrease the use of hard
drugs.

The gateway hypothesis has long been at the centre of the legalization
debate and a guiding principle of the federal government's drug policy since
the 1950s.

But studies over the past 10 years have shown marijuana is no more a gateway
drug than alcohol or tobacco.

"This continues to be one of the leading misconceptions in Canada," said
lawyer John Conroy, who has worked on some of the country's biggest
marijuana court challenges. "What is the first drug people try? It's
tobacco," he said. "If you want to find this gateway drug, look to tobacco
or even caffeine."

'NO CONVINCING EVIDENCE'

The Canadian Senate's Special Committee on Illegal Drugs concluded last fall
that there is "no convincing evidence to establish the gateway hypothesis."

The poll shows older people are more likely to believe smoking marijuana
starts one on a path to harder drugs. Of respondents over 65, 48% said they
thought pot increased the likelihood of hard drug use, compared to 71% of
those aged 18-34 who said it did not. The poll, conducted April 1-6, is
considered accurate within 2.5 percentage points 19 times out of 20.

Dr. Raju Hajela, a leader in the fight against the legalization of
marijuana, said people misunderstand the gateway theory.

"Some people take it literally to mean anyone who smokes marijuana will move
on to other drugs," Hajela said. "But the point is, if people don't start
smoking marijuana in their teen years, the likelihood they would start using
other drugs later is low."