Pubdate: Fri, 10 Jan 2014
Source: Metro (Toronto, CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Metro Canada
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/toronto
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3462

FORD FAVOURS POT DECRIMINALIZATION

And, True to Form, He Says It's All About the Finances

Mayor Rob Ford, who says he has smoked "a lot" of marijuana and was 
once arrested in the U.S. with a joint in his pocket, spoke 
favourably of marijuana decriminalization Thursday.

Ford has admitted to using crack cocaine and marijuana as mayor and 
powder cocaine in the past. He is now the most prominent Conservative 
to muse about marijuana decriminalization in recent years.

Ford was asked for his views during his weekly appearance on a 
Washington, DC sports radio show, The Sports Junkies on 106.7 The 
Fan. He said legalization is "not going to happen" under a "very 
strict" Conservative government in Canada, but then questioned the 
government's approach.

"The Conservative government up here is very... you know, it's job 
creation, it is stimulating the economy but I've questioned that too 
sometimes, why wouldn't they at least decriminalize it and try to get 
revenue from it?" Ford said.

"We have medicinal marijuana ... but they won't legalize it or decriminalize."

Ford's comments represent a shift in his public position. He had 
previously endorsed current marijuana laws.

Ford has always fashioned himself a law-and-order conservative. In 
2005, he was the most outspoken council opponent of the Toronto Drug 
Strategy, which advocated support for decriminalization, the 
provision of "crack kits" to reduce health risks to crack cocaine 
users. "Crack kits? ... you're just ... supplying paraphernalia to 
kill themselves," Ford said then. "You might as well just give them a 
rope and chair, put them in a room and say 'Hang yourself.' "
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom