Pubdate: Tue, 22 Dec 2015
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Ben Spurr
Page: A1
Referenced: Poll: http://mapinc.org/url/K02ND6IC

LEGAL WEED WOULD LEAD TO MORE USE, POLL SAYS

More young Ontarians say they're likely to try drug, but overall
consumption won't change much

More young adults in Ontario say they would smoke marijuana if the
federal government legalizes the drug, according to a new public
opinion poll.

The provincewide survey, released exclusively to the Star by Forum
Research, found that 29 per cent of respondents aged 18 to 34 reported
using weed in the past year. But 39 per cent of people in the same
demographic said they would likely take the drug if it were legal.

Forum president Lorne Bozinoff said the increase was not unexpected,
given that young people generally have a more permissive attitude toward 
pot.

He noted that overall, it doesn't appear that legalization would
prompt a sharp uptake in marijuana use. Only 22 per cent of
respondents of all ages said they would use pot if the law were
changed, a small change from the 17 per cent who said they consumed
the drug in the past year.

"(Legalization) is not going to be the great cultural revolution that
people are thinking it's going to be," Bozinoff said. "When you look
at how many are using it now and how many would use it when it's
legal, it's not that many people at the end of the day."

In its inaugural speech from the throne earlier this month, the new
Liberal government promised to "legalize, regulate and restrict access
to marijuana." The poll found that a majority of Ontarians, or 56 per
cent, support that goal. But though Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has
said regulating the drug will help keep it out of the hands of minors,
he has yet to outline what an overhauled legal regime would look like.

Key questions such as who would be authorized to sell pot and how much
it would be taxed will be determined by a government task force that
will take input from experts in public health, substance abuse and law
enforcement.

The Forum poll found, among Ontarians, setting up special dispensaries
would be the most popular way to facilitate legal pot sales, with 57
per cent of respondents saying they approved of that model.

Almost half, or 47 per cent, said they disapproved of a plan, floated
by Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne last week, to sell marijuana through
provincially owned liquor stores. But almost as many, 44 per cent,
said they liked the idea. Wynne has argued the LCBO is a natural fit
for the retail pot business because its unionized employees have
experience distributing and selling a controlled substance.

The poll found that only 15 per cent of respondents were in favour of
allowing marijuana sales at corner stores.

In Colorado, Oregon and Washington, three U.S. states that have
recently legalized pot,marijuana is sold through licensed specialty
stores or dispensaries.

Although a solid majority of Ontarians backs the legalization of
marijuana, most respondents still believe there is no place for pot in
the public sphere. Nearly six in 10 said that smoking marijuana should
be allowed only in private spaces.

Support for legalization also varies widely depending on which
political party Ontarians support. Only 32 per cent of Progressive
Conservative voters want to end the prohibition. They were also the
least likely to report using pot themselves.

The Progressive Conservatives have lost four successive elections, and
Bozinoff said themarijuana debate is a "flagship issue" that shows how
difficult it could be for the party's leaders to make electoral gains
without abandoning their base.

"It just shows that the Tories are still marching to their own drummer
on social issues," he said.

"If they want to grow the party and get out of their second-place
status, they've got to move to the centre. But their core on social
issues is very conservative."

The survey of 1,003 randomly selected Ontario adults was conducted by
interactive voice response on Dec. 20. Results are considered accurate
plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Some data have been statistically weighted by age, region and other
variables to ensure the sample reflects the actual population as
reflected in census data. Poll results are housed in the data library
of the University of Toronto political science department.

- - With files from Bruce Campion-Smith
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt