Pubdate: Wed, 08 Jan 2014 Source: Chronicle Herald (CN NS) Copyright: 2014 The Halifax Herald Limited Contact: http://thechronicleherald.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180 AS STATES LEGALIZE MARIJUANA, CANADA SHOULD PREPARE STRATEGY Canadians this year are noticing a little something extra burning south of the border, and it's not additional fuel to cope with the cold snap. Colorado and Washington have just made it legal to purchase a small amount of marijuana, the first jurisdictions in the U.S. or Canada to do so. Colorado is charging high production, retail and sales taxes for the privilege. Some cities, like Portland, Me., have also legalized marijuana use, and three states may follow suit. It's not a surprise. Polls in North America consistently show that people don't regard smoking weed as something that should land users heavy fines or jail time. In June 2012, 66 per cent of Canadians polled by Ipsos-Reid said they supported either decriminalization or legalization of marijuana. Even current and former politicians like Justin Trudeau, Darrell Dexter, Kathleen Wynne, Jim Flaherty, Tom Mulcair and Brad Wall say they've used the drug. While society seems to be moving towards acceptance of marijuana use and acknowledgement of the futility of spending millions of dollars each year on trying to eradicate it, not everyone thinks it's time to make toking A-OK. Health advocates warn that beyond occasional use, smoking marijuana can damage the lungs and cause cancer, and that the effects of marijuana, like those of many drugs, can be more powerful and potentially more harmful for teenagers. Supporters say money saved from the war on drugs, specifically marijuana, could be rechannelled into drug education and related health-care initiatives. It's unclear whether the Obama government will allow the states' initiative and the continent is not yet awash with legal weed. But with Colorado set to take in $2.1 billion in revenue over five years, that will likely change. We have advocated decriminalization of marijuana in the past, a move that would have little effect on jurisdictions' bottom lines. However, it will be hard for cash-strapped states and provinces to resist the whiff of money in legal marijuana, particularly if adjacent jurisdictions are raking it in. Canada, which recently toughened its marijuana laws, is out of step with society's moves towards liberalization of such laws. But, as they did with liquor and gambling, other governments are realizing that if you can't beat 'em, you might as well join 'em, and steer revenues into the coffers of the state rather than the pockets of criminals. It's unlikely that the Harper government will change course, but Ottawa and the provinces should figure out how they will proceed on the marijuana issue if laws in Colorado and Washington stand and other states move to legalize. Accommodating someone's wish to light up a joint is one thing, but governments must also devise ways to control abuses like driving while impaired and must ensure the drug is not easier for young people to use. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt