Vancouver Sun op-ed: Canadians decide it's time to legalize marijuana

[RainDog]

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Hallelujah+Canadians+agree+time+legalize+marijuana/6013181/story.html

A new poll suggests Canada may have reached the tipping point and a 66-per-cent majority favours legalizing marijuana.

Conducted Dec. 13 by Toronto-based Forum Research Inc. and released Tuesday, the latest poll of 1,160 respondents 18 or older showed that residents of B.C. were the most likely to support pot-law reform, with 73 per cent wanting change. Quebec had the lowest support for reforms at 61 per cent.

Who's leading the way? Those aged 55 to 64.

Why? Yes, there are a lot of old hippies. But of all the age cohorts, the middle-aged and elderly, the late-boomers are learning faster than most that marijuana may be the Aspirin of the 21st century.

Earlier this month the Canadian Liberal Party decided, by 77% of delegates, to include legalization in its political platform. The New Democratic Party (Democratic Socialists) and the Greens also support legalization.

Go Canada!

[laundry_queen]

1. Love this

considering that all the opposition parties are in favor, and that a HUGE portion of the pot smoking population where I am is conservative, between those 2 groups, and the US fervently against any kind of Canadian legalization, Stephen Harper is in a tough place, which always makes me grin. It'll be interesting....

[RainDog]

2. would you mind keeping us updated on this topic?

it would be great if someone from Canada could let us know what's on the teevee, etc.

I also love it that our next-door-neighbor doesn't kowtow to the conservatives here.

With both Liberals and NDs in support, I hope Harper sees the end of his party's majority soon.

btw, I've heard geezers here spit out "socialist" when they heard the mention of Canada like it was some deadly disease. lol. the stupidity of folks like that here make me wonder if their parents fed them lead paint for lunch.

[laundry_queen]

4. I'll try

but it won't be easy as I'm insanely busy (single mom, 4 kids, in school full time /sob story) If I hear any developments, I'll post about them but I often have US news on instead

And if it makes you feel any better, many people in my family travel to the US for business and abso-freaking-lutely LOVE turning GOP freaks on their heads when it comes to the whole socialist crap. Usually the people they talk to have rarely travelled outside their state and they are actually quite curious about 'the Canadians' and ask questions. My family then loves to say things like, "heck NO! YOU mean you need to get approval to see a specific doctor? how horrible! I can go to any doctor in the entire country whenever I want and I don't pay a thing. I don't even have to wait - I've never even warmed a seat in my doctor's office's waiting room! I LOVE my system. Ugh, I dont' know how you guys can handle your system! It's awful, I feel SO bad for you!" Somehow being pitied by a group that is supposed to be envying them opens their eyes quite a bit, LOL. I love hearing these stories from my family.

[DeathToTheOil]

3. Two points

Stephen Hitl--uh, Harper has a majority, so nothing's going to happen till at least 2015. And a majority of Canadians continue to support the death penalty, but, whenever it has come up for a vote, our "we know what's best for you" parliamentarians have turned thumbs down.

I it's any consolation, I did rec the thread.