From Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1290622–marijuana-legalization-or-decriminalization-backed-by-most-canadians-poll
By Alex Ballingall
Tuesday, November 20 2012
A new poll shows a majority of Canadians support loosening the country’s marijuana laws, a stance that’s starkly out of sync with the federal government’s pot policy.
According to the poll, released Tuesday by Toronto’s Forum Research, 65 per cent of Canadians favour either the legalization and taxation of the drug, or decriminalizing it in small amounts.
“Very few want the law to be as it is,” said Forum president Lorne Bozinoff, pointing out that 17 per cent believe Canada’s current pot laws should remain, while 15 per cent want tougher rules.
On Monday, Forum Research polled 1,849 randomly selected people over the telephone in an interactive voice response survey.
“Public opinion has been ahead of government on this issue for a while,” said Bozinoff.
Under the Conservatives, Ottawa has veered toward harsher penalties for marijuana, increasing potential prison time and imposing mandatory jail sentences for growing six or more weed plants.
These strategies have drawn criticism from scientists and organizations such as the Brazil-based Global Commission on Drug Policy, which in March called them “destructive, expensive and ineffective.”
“I think (the Conservatives) have a morally based belief model, which is not based on evidence,” said Richard Mathias, a professor of public health at the University of British Columbia.
Continue reading at: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1290622–marijuana-legalization-or-decriminalization-backed-by-most-canadians-poll
