Canada’s Department of Justice conducted a poll to gauge how much support there is in Canada for marijuana reform. The poll was kept secret for months until the media outlet The Star was able to obtain a copy of the results. What did the poll find? Per The Star:
The poll, kept secret by the Conservatives for months, found 70 per cent of respondents believe pot laws should be loosened.
Of the 3,000 respondents, 37.3 per cent said the government should legalize marijuana, while 33.4 per cent said the possession of small amounts should be decriminalized.
Only 13.7 per cent of respondents supported the status quo, while 12 per cent said they believe Ottawa should impose harsher penalties.
The Conservatives in Canada have been pushing attack ads against Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau, highlighting his pro-marijuana stance, as if it’s a bad thing. The Department of Justice’s poll suggests that the attack ads aren’t going to be effective, as most Canadians agree with Mr. Trudeau’s belief that it’s time for a new approach in Canada. I’d imagine as word spreads about the poll results, more and more Canadians will get on board with reform and oppose the Conservatives.
Long time marijuana reform leader Marc Emery is going to be back in Canada soon after completing his sentence in the United States for seed sales. Marc Emery was targeted by the DEA not only because of his seed sales, but also because he used his profits to fund reform efforts in the United States and Canada. When you combine Marc Emery’s return to Canada with the results of this poll, I’m expecting things to get very interesting north of the border.
