SMOKE OF MARIJUANA BATTLE LINGERS

GUELPH -- Derek Wildfong is an activist by default. The owner of Hemp
Asylum on Macdonell Street considers himself a businessman first, but
admits his store's focus on selling marijuana-related paraphernalia often
puts him at the centre of the prickly debate over whether using the drug
should be decriminalized.

For seven years, Wildfong has sold a variety of colourful pipes and
literature about cannabis use, and become an advocate in Guelph for the
decriminalization of pot.

The debate resurfaced this week when Justice Minister Martin Cauchon
announced Canada may follow Britain's lead in decriminalizing marijuana
use, by making simple possession of small amounts a ticketing offence.

Chauchon's suggestion was met with criticism by local police officials and
MP Brenda Chamberlain.

Wildfong, meanwhile, sees it as cause for cautious optimism.

"Sure, I'm hopeful it will happen," Wildfong said. "Personally, it's been a
long time since I partook in that sort of thing. But for the people I know,
it's important."

Wildfong blames what he sees as lingering myths about marijuana use for its
vilification by law enforcement agencies and politicians.

He said his hope that Cauchon's suggestion becomes reality is based on
principle, not self-preservation in any business sense.

He said the idea that marijuana use would skyrocket after decriminalization
is not based on fact.

"I don't think my business would change," he said. "They didn't find any
change in Holland (after decriminalization). There has been a lot of
disinformation about marijuana and that's what keeps people scared. It's so
ingrained.

"There's this idea that you will smoke a joint and then try heroin. That's
not going to happen. But if you have six generations of people being told
the sky is green, it's tough to change that perception."

It's a common argument by promoters of cannabis use. Activist Robin Ellins
said politicians and police insist on lumping marijuana in with harder
drugs, such as heroin and cocaine.

"It's not in the same category," said Ellins, who sells cannabis
literature, smoking accessories and hemp fashions at his downtown Toronto
shop, Friendly Stranger. "Police are worried about keeping jobs and having
something to do. A lot of their time is spent cracking down on people
smoking pot in places they shouldn't be."

As for Cauchon's suggestion, Ellins said it doesn't go far enough.

Canada needs to adopt a policy similar to ones in Switzerland and Holland,
where marijuana use has been decriminalized, regulated and taxed, he said.

"Right now it's a forbidden fruit," said Ellins.

"More want to try it when they are younger. But if they set up some sort of
distribution the demand goes down."

Guelph Police Deputy Chief Don Porterfield disagrees.

He said the force is opposed to decriminalizing possession.

"The concern the police have is legalization is going to increase use," he
said.

While marijuana is typically considered a "harmless" drug, Porterfield said
there are crimes associated with its use, including impaired driving.

"It creates a number of collateral problems for the police," he said. "Any
step in that direction would have to be undertaken with a great deal of
caution."

Porterfield said Guelph Police drug officers are primarily focused on
curtailing marijuana growing operations, and targeting those involved in
the distribution and use of more serious drugs. That includes battling the
increased presence in Guelph of crack cocaine.

"Practically speaking that's where we focus our enforcement," Porterfield said.

He conceded issuing tickets for pot possession may put fewer restrictions
on officers than treating such matters as criminal cases, which involves
preparing materials for the federal prosecutor and also going to court if
the accused pleads not guilty.

However, Porterfield added even under a ticketing system the accused still
would likely have the right to plead not guilty, as motorists currently can
do with traffic tickets.

When contacted at her office Tuesday, Guelph-Wellington MP Brenda
Chamberlain said she also opposes decriminalization of marijuana.

She rejects the idea that marijuana is "harmless" and said she believes its
use can lead people to harder drugs.