GRIMES IN FAVOUR OF LEGALIZING POT

Premier Roger Grimes not only favours decriminalizing marijuana use, he
thinks it should be legalized, produced in factories and taxed like tobacco
to pay for services like health care.

Grimes, who admitted to experimenting with pot in his youth, said it's a
federal matter to decide.

"I'm saying if I ever were to run federally, I'd probably put in my plank
that we should not only decriminalize it, we should legalize it -- have it
produced in factories and plants, raise some revenues from it and treat it
the same as alcohol. Put an age limit on it and recognize there's some use
of it out there, make it safer, make some money from it," he told reporters
Wednesday.

Legislation In New Year

On Monday, federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon said Ottawa wanted to
move quickly on the issue and could bring in legislation early in the new
year to decriminalize pot use.

Grimes said, however, pot didn't turn him on.

"I experimented with it way back in university days -- that's over 30 years
ago for me. I didn't like it. It didn't do anything for me."

Opposition Tory Leader Danny Williams won't say whether he favours
decriminalizing marijuana until he discusses it with his caucus.

"I don't think it would be fair for me right now to speak outside the
caucus. We do operate as a caucus on issues like that," said Williams, who
said he's also "experimented."

"For about 10 seconds I did use it, yes," he said.