Legalized pot touted as possible economic lifeline for N.B.

The new Liberal government in Ottawa says it wants to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis and a Saint John man thinks New Brunswick could be a testing ground for such a program.

DerekRiedlestarted the Saint John-based online magazine Civilized,awebsite, for what it calls, "responsible" users of marijuana. He notes that in Colorado, Oregon and some other states, recreational use of marijuana is legal and now a source of tax revenue.

"The estimates now are that cannabis is a $3-billion industry nationwide and that it could be a $5-billion industry," said Riedle.

He thinks New Brunswick could even act as a guinea pig for legalized pot.

"It's going to take outside-of-the-box thinking to overcome some of the economic woes that we're facing,so I think cannabis can be part of the solution," said Riedle.

"Idon'tthink there's any place else in the country that would be better positioned. Later on top of that, New Brunswick has issues that it needs to overcome."

The drug is currently legally available under prescription; a treatment option chosen by a growing number ofveterans. Last year, 42 per cent of reimbursements for cannabis from Veterans Affairs were to veterans in New Brunswick.

"The demand is almost hard to keep up with," said Fabian Henry, of the Oromocto company Marijuana for Trauma, which connects veterans with doctors who can legally prescribe the drug for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Henry supports the regulation of marijuana for recreational use.

"Ibelievein abolishingprohibition," he said. "If we can walk into a liquor store as a grown adult and purchase alcohol, I see no reason why we can't regulate the amount of THC you can purchase per day."

But Henry says those who are ill should be careful if the day ever comes when pot can be bought at a store.

"Well those that don't come to us are gong to lead themselves down that path, and those that find a way to us will get educated on what strains work for what illnesses," he said.

Concerns that have been raised in the United States about legalized marijuana include how to best test for impaired driving and the safety of edible products.