Pubdate: Sat, 02 Dec 2017
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2017 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/send_a_letter
Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Solomon Israel
Page: A7

DON'T DELAY LEGAL POT: MOST MANITOBANS

A SLIGHT majority of Manitobans disagree with Premier Brian
Pallister's calls to delay federal legalization of cannabis in Canada,
according to a new online poll from the Angus Reid Institute.

Fifty-eight per cent of Manitoba respondents say, "The timeline should
not be changed." Nationwide, 53 per cent of all respondents agree.

The Angus Reid Institute's online poll used a sample of 1,510
Canadians who were randomly selected members of the pollster's
proprietary Angus Reid Forum, which the website describes as a
representative panel of "almost 130,000 Canadian households." The
poll, conducted Nov. 14 to 20, includes a sample of 101 Manitobans.

Sixty-four per cent of those Manitobans agree that "the use of
marijuana in Canada should be made legal," a figure in line with
national support for legalization (65 per cent). Support for cannabis
legalization is higher among respondents polled in British Columbia
(73 per cent) and the Atlantic provinces (75 per cent), and lower in
Saskatchewan (58 per cent) and Quebec (54 per cent).

Nationally, just 10 per cent of Canadians polled from Angus Reid's
online sample say they are "very confident" their province would "have
a complete plan in place by July 1 to regulate the sale and
distribution of marijuana." Another 29 per cent say they are
"confident," 34 per cent are "not that confident" and 21 per cent are
"not confident at all."

A higher proportion of Manitobans polled also express low confidence
the province will be ready for legalization in time. Just nine per
cent are "very confident," and 30 per cent are "confident."
Thirty-seven per cent are "not that confident" and 14 per cent "not
confident at all."

(Although the poll cites a July 1 deadline for legalizing cannabis in
Canada, the Liberal government has said Canada Day 2018 will not be
the exact date of legalization.)

The poll suggests most Manitobans are keeping an eye on cannabis
legalization in the province, with 26 per cent saying they follow the
topic in the news and discuss it with others. Thirty-seven per cent of
Manitobans polled report "seeing some media coverage and having the
odd conversation about it," with 27 per cent saying they just looked
at headlines about legalization. Just 10 per cent of Manitobans polled
say they "haven't heard anything about it."

The Angus Reid poll suggests most Manitobans might support the
Pallister government's plans to allow private retailers to sell
cannabis in the province. Asked to choose one of three methods of
distribution, 40 per cent of Manitobans polled approve of selling
marijuana in "licensed dispensaries," 25 per cent prefer "private
businesses, such as pharmacies" and 35 per cent prefer "provincial
government agencies - such as government liquor stores."

On a national level, the poll found support for selling marijuana
"through provincial government agencies" is just 30 per cent.
Forty-seven per cent of respondents support sales through "licensed
dispensaries" and 23 per cent prefer "private businesses, such as
pharmacies."

The Angus Reid Institute conducted the online survey among a
representative randomized sample of 1,510 Canadian adults who are
members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, a
probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of
plus/minus 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
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MAP posted-by: Matt