Pubdate: Fri, 10 Jan 2014
Source: Toronto 24hours (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Canoe Inc.
Contact:  http://24hrs.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4068
Authors: Don Peat and Joe Warmington - With files from Shawn Jeffords
Page: 4

FORD TALKS DECRIMINALIZING POT

Mayor Rob Ford isn't high on the idea of getting into the marijuana
legalization debate any time soon.

And nor will he be joining his Liberal nemesis Justin Trudeau's team
to look for more lenient treatment of those who smoke it.

But for a few minutes Thursday it almost looked like he
was.

"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," the mayor said on Washington D.C. radio show, The
Sports Junkies.

However Thursday night Ford said he didn't mean for it to sound like
it did.

"I am not getting into federal issues like that," Ford said. "That's a
federal issue. I am going to stick to municipal issues."

He admits he did try to weigh into the issue when asked, but he said
he really isn't up on the debate that does not fall into his elected
purview and probably should have stayed away from it.

"I was trying to explain it was a federal thing but you know on that
show they are always throwing curve balls," he said, laughing.

And he admitted it was a pitch that seem to buzz him around the
ears.

"That probably won't happen up here (in Canada) because we have a
Conservative government," Ford told the radio hosts."They're very
strict when it comes to marijuana and any other drugs - so it's not
going to happen here. Maybe down in the States but not up here."

The right-wing mayor-who admitted last year to smoking "a lot" of pot
in his past and who is currently battling a crack cocaine scandal
while running for re-election - endorsed the Conservatives in the last
federal election.

"We have medicinal marijuana, so a lot of people that are sick use it
but they won't legalize it or decriminalize it, so I don't think
they're going to ever do it unless the government changes," Ford told
the U.S.radio hosts. "I don't see the Conservative government ever
letting that happen."

In August, Ford admitted to smoking weed after federal Liberal Leader
Justin Trudeau and Premier Kathleen Wynne made headlines with their
own pot-smoking confessions.

"Oh, yeah," Ford said at the time, smiling. "I won't deny that. I've
smoked a lot of it."

Police documents released by the courts since then include details
from Ford staffers talking about the mayor smoking marijuana at his
home and having a joint in his City Hall desk.

Ford has denied most of the staff allegations and even threatened to
sue some staffers.

After months of denying he's smoked crack, Ford admitted in November
that he had done that drug and told council he had bought illegal
drugs since taking office.

"Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine," Ford told reporters on Nov. 5.
"No, do I? Am I an addict? No.

"Have I tried it? Probably in one of my drunken stupors, probably
approximately about a year ago."

In 2010 Ford successfully beat a marijuana possession charge in
Florida in 1999 before he was first elected to council.

Ford was charged with driving under the influence, driving without
headlights on and possessing marijuana under 10 grams - he had a joint
in his back pocket when he was pulled over.

According to Florida records, Ford pleaded no contest to driving under
the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was found guilty and fined $664.75.
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