Pubdate: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB) Copyright: 2004 The Edmonton Journal Contact: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134 Author: Omar El Akkad, with files from The Canadian Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hallucinogens.htm (Hallucinogens) LIKE REST OF CANADA, MORE ALBERTANS GOING TO POT EDMONTON - Albertans aren't quite as likely to light up a joint as residents of British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia, but they're not far behind. And they're less likely to be charged for doing it, a new Statistics Canada report says. The report, released Wednesday, measured the change in the number of cannabis and other drug users in Canad from 1994 to 2002. According to the report, 13 per cent of Albertans over the age of 15 said in 2002 they had used marijuana or hashish in the past year, up from nine per cent in 1994. Sixteen per cent of residents of British Columbia, and 14 per cent of residents in Quebec and Nova Scotia had smoked dope. The national average in 2002 was 12.2 per cent, up from 7.4 per cent in 1994. In 2002, more than 10 million Canadians said they had tried marijuana or hashish at least once. Despite the apparent upswing in pot usage, Prime Minister Paul Martin said in Ottawa that his government remains committed to marijuana decriminalization and will reintroduce legislation after Parliament resumes in October. And Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh said that while he is concerned about the reported rise in drug use, he's unsure arguments that decriminalization would further increase marijuana use "have any validity." "My view is that, if you make something illegal, some people are more attracted to it," he said. "It's just the high in getting something in a stealth(y) fashion ... . If you allow people to possess it in small quantities for personal use, the allure kind of disappears for some people." While the issue of decriminalizing cannabis has been in the media spotlight, the latest national figures don't reflect those discussions because this survey was done in 2002, the year before an Ontario court judge set a precedent by ruling that possessing a small amount of pot was not illegal, and before Jean Chretien tried to ram through a decriminalization bill prior to stepping down as prime minister. The study also found Alberta was above the national average in the number of people using five other drug types: cocaine and crack, ecstasy, LSD and other hallucinogens, speed (amphetamines) and heroin. However, only 163 cannabis-related drug offences per 100,000 people were reported in Alberta in 2002 -- the third lowest number of any province in the country. British Columbia had the highest rate of cannabis-related offences, with 398 per 100,000. Most offences -- 72 per cent -- were for possession. Det. Darren Derko, a member of the Green Team, a joint RCMP and Edmonton police operation aimed at eradicating marijuana grow operations, said the team is constantly swamped with cases. The six- or eight-member team targets operations in Northern Alberta. It comes across about 75 grow operations a year. "(Grow operations are) getting a lot larger, a lot more sophisticated," Derko said. "They're finding more ways of masking the operation." One of the largest marijuana grow operations found in Canada was discovered in Camrose in July 2003, when police uncovered a pig barn used to grow more than 10,000 plants, worth about $10 million. Derko said one of the reasons drug use is growing may be that the price of marijuana has dropped significantly. "Two and a half years ago, a pound of marijuana used to sell for about $3,000," he said. "Now we're hearing about a pound in B.C. going for about $1,200 or $1,500." Derko said many marijuana growers know the legal penalties they may face if caught, but are willing to take the risk. "It may be a result of penalties versus profit," the detective said. "If you get caught, you may get a conditional sentence. If you don't, you make a fortune." Federal marijuana party leader Marc-Boris St-Maurice said the rising number of drug users may be attributable to a growing response bias, as toking up becomes more acceptable in Canada. "As society grows more tolerant to marijuana use," St-Maurice said, "people are more likely to be honest in their response." St-Maurice said the results may even be slightly inflated, as some younger respondents may say they used marijuana even if they haven't, because they believe using the drug is cool. St-Maurice said the report is proof current anti-marijuana legislation doesn't work. "To those who say we should keep marijuana illegal so people don't use it, clearly this is evidence to the contrary. Those people may have something to think about." The Statistics Canada survey found men were more likely than women to have tried illicit drugs. Teens aged 18 to 19 were the most likely to have tried cannabis. Tony Temprile, an addictions counsellor with the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, said a survey of children in Grades 7 to 12 conducted by the commission two years ago showed cannabis, alcohol and tobacco were the three most widely used drugs. "Obviously, any sort of addiction causes problems," Temprile said. "Everything from kids not doing well in school to health concerns to drugs leading to criminal activities." Temprile's outpatient program, which deals mostly with youth and their families, sees about 2,000 people a year. Of the drugs other than cannabis mentioned in the report, cocaine and crack were the most popular, with an estimated 321,000 Canadians having tried one or both drugs. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake