Pubdate: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 Source: Packet & Times (CN ON) Copyright: 2003, Osprey Media Group Inc. Contact: http://www.orilliapacket.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2397 Author: Colin McKim GREEN'S PRUESSE IMPRESSES WITH POT TALK Local News - If elections were decided by applause meters in high school gymnasiums, Green party candidate Nina Pruesse could be Simcoe North's next representative at Queen's Park. When Pruesse told 850 Park Street Collegiate students that her party would legalize marijuana she received by far the loudest applause and cheering during a political forum Monday morning. Pruesse was responding to a question from a student during an all-candidates debate in the school gymnasium. Though drug laws are a federal responsibility, provincial candidates in Simcoe North were happy to lay out their national policies for the students. The Liberal party does not favour legalization, but supports decriminalization of small amounts of the drug, said Liberal candidate Paul Sloan. "That offence should not carry a criminal record through your life." Instead possession of small quantities of marijuana should be punished by fines, said Sloan, who received a slightly less enthusiastic applause than Pruesse. NDP candidate John Niddery said treating small quantities differently than large amounts is inconsistent. "Either it's legal or it's not. We have to come to a consensus, just like they did with alcohol." Niddery's answer received polite applause. Simcoe North incumbent Garfield Dunlop did not attend the forum, so his views were not expressed or tested on the applause meter. Despite the enthusiastic applause for legalization by the student body, individual students interviewed after the forum opposed the idea for the most part. Grade 12 student Luc Robertson said decriminalizing pot could lead to more impaired driving. "If you're driving and high, there's a better chance of an accident," said Robertson. "It should be a criminal offence." Grade 11 student Krista Doubrough says she's seen good kids' lives ruined by smoking too much dope. "They get in with the wrong crowd. It affects their school work." Laura Cutler was the only student interviewed to support complete legalization. "It's all about freedom and the right to choose," Cutler said. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom