Pubdate: Fri, 26 Oct 2007
Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN)
Copyright: 2007 The Leader-Post Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361
Author: James Wood, Saskatchewan News Network
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?420 (Cannabis - Popular)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

POT USE NOT A HIGH POINT FOR LEADERS

The fire of the provincial election campaign briefly subsided into 
smoke Thursday, as party leaders recounted their own experiences -- 
or lack of experience -- with marijuana.

The issue arose when a reporter at Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad 
Wall's press conference on social policy asked his opinion of the 
Saskatchewan Marijuana Party's call for legalization of marijuana.

Wall said his party didn't agree with legalization. He was then was 
asked whether he had ever smoked marijuana.

After a pregnant pause, Wall's answer was "yes," which was also his 
response on whether he had inhaled.

"I'm going to have to now phone my mom and make sure I tell her how I 
had answered that question before you go to air," he joked.

Wall said his use of marijuana was "infrequent" when he attended 
university and "it didn't really do anything for me, luckily, because 
for some it does lead to other things."

Wall ended up being the token toker among the leaders of the three 
main parties competing in the Nov. 7 election.

NDP Leader Lorne Calvert said he never used marijuana, although he 
jokingly acknowledged he might have incidentally inhaled during his 
early 1970's university days.

"To be fair, when I was first a student at the University of 
Saskatchewan, I think a fair number of my colleagues did, and indeed 
wandering the hallways I suppose just secondhand . . . but not on a 
personal basis," he said to laughter from NDP supporters at the 
Saskatoon Nutana campaign office.

Liberal Leader David Karwacki said he had never smoked marijuana.

"I just never hung around with people that got into any of that kind 
of stuff. So, no it just really wasn't in the circles that I was 
around," he said in a telephone interview.

Both Karwacki and Calvert said they did not think past marijuana use 
by a political leader was an issue at all anymore, a point reinforced 
by University of Regina political scientist Ken Rasmussen.

Politicians today can be more honest about their past experience with 
marijuana and not suffer as a consequence, said Rasmussen, who noted 
the issue is still a little overblown.

"But (Brad Wall) probably did the smart thing in admitting it because 
there's probably some people (who were) there smoking with him."

"He looks groovy and youthful now. He'll get the young vote," quipped 
Rasmussen of Wall's admission.

Bill Clinton attracted derision when he said he had smoked marijuana, 
but didn't inhale. His comments didn't sink his successful 1992 
campaign to become U.S. president.

The Saskatchewan Marijuana Party is running five candidates in the 
provincial election on a platform calling for an end to the 
"prohibition" of marijuana.

Legalization of pot would require the federal government to change 
the Criminal Code, but party leader Nathan Holowaty said a provincial 
government could impact the enforcement of current laws through its 
funding of police and prosecutors.

Holowaty said he wasn't surprised Wall had tried marijuana but said 
he seems hypocritical for opposing legalization.

Wall said he opposed legalization of marijuana because he believes 
pot does serve as a gateway to harder drugs and because there is no 
adequate roadside test to catch drivers impaired by marijuana use.

Calvert pointed out legalization or decriminalization of pot would be 
the responsibility of the national government, but said he did not 
favour either.

Karwacki said he does not back legalization but supports the 
decriminalization of marijuana, saying it makes no sense for young 
people to go to jail and have criminal records for small possession offences.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom