Pubdate: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 Source: Globe and Mail (Canada) Copyright: 2006, The Globe and Mail Company Contact: http://www.globeandmail.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168 Author: Jill Mahoney, Social Trends Reporter Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) YOUTH & MEDIA: SEX, DRUGS AND GAY MARRIAGE - WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE STAND Young People May Have Reached A Consensus On Gay Marriage, But Are Divided On The Legalization Of Marijuana, And Most Want To Raise The Age Of Consent For Sex GAY MARRIAGE For Melissa Couto, allowing same-sex marriage is a matter of basic human rights. "If anyone is in love, then they should be able to do whatever they want and the government shouldn't control what people do," says the 21-year-old who is studying jewellery arts at George Brown College in Toronto. Ms. Couto is far from alone. A poll of 18- to 24-year-olds found that 69 per cent agree homosexuals and lesbians should be allowed to marry. Support was highest among women, Quebeckers and respondents with postgraduate degrees. "That really says that there's a consensus among this generation," says Rudyard Griffiths, executive director of the Dominion Institute (http://www.thedemocracyproject.ca), which commissioned the survey along with the Innovative Research Group. On the opening day of the election campaign, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said a government led by him would let MPs vote freely to overturn legislation allowing gays and lesbians to marry. The poll, which was provided to The Globe and Mail, the CBC and La Presse, was completed on-line between Nov. 28 and Dec. 1 by a representative sample of 2,979 young adults drawn from a database of young Canadians who agreed to take part in surveys. Results are considered accurate to within plus or minus 1.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. LEGALIZING MARIJUANA Perhaps surprisingly, the survey found that a bare majority -- 50 per cent -- of young adults want smoking marijuana to be legalized. Forty-two per cent believe it should not be legalized. Support for legalizing pot is highest among British Columbians, Atlantic Canadians, Quebeckers and men, while it is lowest among Prairie residents and women. AGE OF CONSENT The poll also found 54 per cent of respondents want the legal age of consent for sex to be raised. Thirty-six per cent of respondents say it should be left at the current age of 14 years, while 2 per cent believe it should be lowered. However, the findings were very different in Quebec, where 56 per cent of young adults say the age of consent should not change and 32 per cent think it should be raised. OF THOSE CANADIANS AGED 18 TO 24 WHO BELIEVE SMOKING POT SHOULD BE LEGAL... 56% Are fans of Gwen Stefani 54% Are Green Day listeners 51% Are admirers of 50 Cent 39% Are fans of Destiny's Child 33% Are Toby Keith listeners - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom