Pubdate: Sat, 02 May 2009
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Canwest News Service

MAJORITY IN B.C. THINKS LEGALIZING POT REDUCES VIOLENCE, POLL FINDS

(CNS) - The majority of British Columbians think legalizing pot would 
reduce drug-trade-related violence, an Angus Reid Strategies poll has found.

Sixty-five per cent of respondents would legalize marijuana to 
minimize violence, compared to 35 per cent who think harsher 
penalties for marijuana trafficking are the answer.

British Columbians are more evenly split on existing drug-enforcement 
laws. A slim majority (51 per cent) says lax enforcement on so-called 
"soft drugs" such as marijuana lets criminals go free, which may lead 
to violence. Forty-nine per cent say enforcement criminalizes 
law-abiding citizens.

The online poll of 822 people, conducted April 24-26, has a margin of 
error of 3.4 percentage points, 19 times in 20.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom