Pubdate: Tue, 05 May 2009 Source: Abbotsford Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 The Abbotsford Times Contact: http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1009 Cited: Two-Thirds in BC Would Legalize Marijuana to Reduce Violence: http://www.angusreidstrategies.com/uploads/pages/pdfs/2009.05.01_BCIssues.pdf Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) POLL: MOST FAVOUR LEGAL POT British Columbians believe legalizing marijuana will reduce the criminal violence associated with the drug trade, an Angus Reid Strategies / CTV poll released on Friday has found. Some of the key findings include: - - Sixty-five per cent would legalize marijuana to reduce violence; 35 per cent would increase penalties for trafficking; - - Fifty-one per cent say that lack of enforcement of "soft drug" laws lets criminals go free; 49 per cent believe that enforcement makes criminals from law-abiding citizens; - - Thirty-two per cent believe that holding the 2010 Winter Olympics is important to them; - - Thirty-four per cent believe that drivers should pay tolls to fund new roads and bridges. In the online survey of a representative provincial sample of 822 British Columbia adults, nearly two-thirds of respondents (65 per cent) would choose to legalize marijuana in order to reduce violence, while only 35 per cent believe increased penalties for marijuana trafficking is the answer. Green Party and NDP supporters are most likely to support the legalization of marijuana (77 per cent and 74 per cent respectively). From April 24 to April 26, 2009 Angus Reid Strategies conducted an online survey among a randomly selected, representative sample of 822 adult residents of B.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom