According to a recent poll of users and non-users of marijuana, many Canadians believe it is time to legalize the drug, findings that don’t surprise Powell River mayor Dave Formosa.
The poll done by Insights West, a market-research company based in Vancouver and Calgary, found that approximately 65 per cent of Canadians polled support legalization, with similar responses across age groups from 18 to those aged 55.
“The numbers don’t surprise me at all,” said Formosa. “They have captured the typical view of our Canadian people.”
The poll looked at various arguments on why Canadians believe marijuana should be legalized. For example, approximately 76 per cent of those polled believe that legalization will result in increased tax revenue.
City of Powell River came out in 2013 in support of medical marijuana because of the potential opportunity for the city to increase its tax base after changes were made to the federal program, said Formosa.
In 2013, an application was submitted by Abaca Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Powell River Regional District for the establishment of a licensed medical-marijuana production business.
According to Formosa, this application is still under review by the BC Ministry of Health and if approved by city council the business would provide revenue to the municipality in the form of rent, taxation and by providing jobs.
Beyond locally operated medical-marijuana businesses, legalizing the drug offers little tax incentive at the municipal level, according to the mayor.
“Those revenues would flow through to the province and federal government,” said Formosa. “The revenue would not reach us here in Powell River.”
Additional findings stated that approximately 50 per cent of those polled believed marijuana should be legalized because Canadians enjoy it.
“Smoking pot for recreation is still illegal,” said Formosa. “But, in my view, there is more tolerance by police for someone with a joint in their pocket, or smoking recreationally.”
According to Powell River RCMP staff sergeant Rod Wiebe, “It is our position that marijuana is still an offence under the Controlled Drug and Substance Act.”
The Insights West poll is based on an online sampling of 952 Canadian adults and data was weighted for gender, age and region according to the 2011 Canadian census. The margin of error was just over three per cent.
