Buckdog

Just browsing the internet, very interesting blog

Good post.

I still have faith. Let's not forget the law doesn't need to be formally changed, it just needs to fall back into a grey area where the police aren't expected to enforce it and they won't.

"Mainstream Media Monopoly": ThisCanadian's take on 'Tyee's Media Backgrounder'

how DUMB does the CBC think Canadians are?

Charles that would be good. Are you optimistic???

I don't think it'll happen any time soon either (after all, as you point out the first time it was seriously discussed and recommended as the right policy option for the nation was 1969, and we're still waiting) but I do wonder if the demographics will eventually be too overwhelming to ignore.

That 16.5% is just of people aged 15-64. I'd love to know what the number is for the 15-30 age group. Even the 15-45! I'd imagine it's much higher (ha!). And that's NOT people who have EVER smoked, or who haven't but think smoking's OK (or shouldn't be criminal) it's just people who ACTUALLY SMOKED in 2006. And, of course, there are many who do NOT smoke, but would still favour legalization (and many more who would favour decriminalization).

I don't know what percentage of people need to think a law is wrong before it's too overwhelming to ignore, but I'd imagine once you start pushing 25%, it's getting dicey. And if 16.5% from 15-64 are smokers, and (let's say for argument's sake) 25% from 15-30 are smokers, what will the overall percentage be in 10 years? Who knows, but I wouldn't bet on lower. And if 20% of people smoke, what percentage of those who don't smoke know a smoker whom they don't see as a criminal.

People who oppose decriminalization or legalization should perhaps for a moment think of it this way. You know someone who smokes marijuana. Even if you don't know they smoke (and if you oppose decriminalization it's likely they haven't told you!) you STILL know someone who smokes. It's almost impossible that you don't, given the numbers. Now, maybe if you found out you'd still want them arrested, but maybe not, no?

Great summary, thanks but did you leave out one of the more coherent reasons for not decriminalizing Mary? The warring Americans. They were all over this when it was in the news, even getting their Ambassador to shake his fist and threaten to close the border — which they'll do anyhow with their coming passposrt requirement..

Decriminalization is the only way to go.Legalization means the government controls who grows who sells much like alcohol.Doesn't make sense.The stuff grows wild for gods sake.
One thing has to be said marijuana is not a drug it is a herb and a rather benign herb.One can list medicinal and other positives one after the other.Try and list just one negative.
As a disabled person,let me tell a little story.I was prescribed percosets/oxycodin 6 times a day.Now this is a addicting class three narcotic,I believe there is a huge black market for this drug which is also known as "Poor mans heroin" with many negative side affects.
After a year I so I quit due to the addiction(very unpleasant when one forgets to take pills or prescription is late)being treated like a criminal every time I went to the pharmacy,constipation,can't drive,got to be careful with alcohol etc etc.On top of all that my life began to revolve around my prescription,I was basically a "junkie".I had to always make sure I had my pills,if I went anywhere I had to make sure I had enough pills and some extras just in case.In short I was motivated by the same fear that motivates a "junkie",fear of getting sick(withdrawals,very very unpleasant.
Since then I use,well you can guess,no side affects,no pain,no addiction,nothing but positive benefit.Indeed I feel much better happier,and healthier.
Herb is literally a miracle plant,I never understood the "cannabis culture" thing,but now I do.I would recommend it to all.

Great summary, thanks but did you leave out one of the more coherent reasons for not decriminalizing Mary? The warring Americans. They were all over this when it was in the news, even getting their Ambassador to shake his fist and threaten to close the border — which they'll do anyhow with their coming passposrt requirement..

Good post. I agree with you that the Liberals dragged their feet. And I also agree with those who point out that the Harperite Cons were just trying to please the Bush criminals and their ridiculous War on drugs. But why aren't the Liberals, the NDP, and the Bloc banding together to force legislation through that would prevent (at least) one in five Canadians from being potentially criminalized? Why do the opposition parties keep putting their cheap partisan politics before the interests of Canada and Canadians. What an old and lardy assed country Canada is becoming....

Like Tony said I think it has to do with the USians. If we went decrim it would put pressure on them to do the same. The possibility of decriminalization puts their whole multi-billion dollar illegal drugs scam and gulag system in peril. Follow the buck, Buck!

I wouldn't be surprised if Canada was more of a pot smoking nation than any of the others, but at the present time, I think that there is a dynamic which may be at work here which bears mention.

The fact is that Canadians have been a lot more open about their marijuana experiences then most other nations may be because we've been having an on going debate about it for so long that people are comfortable with talking about it.

I don't think most other nations on the planet have the same open debate about marijuana that Canadians do, and I suspect there may be more of a likelihood for Canadians to disclose their marijuana smoking habits then citizens from other countries simply due to the fact that we're used to talking about it...

So, one thing to keep in mind is that this study may have shown us something that it was not designed to show us...

That is that Canadians are more comfortable with marijuana then citizens of other nations.

Just some food for thought.