Pubdate: Fri, 30 Jun 2000
Source: Aldergrove Star (CN BC)
Copyright: Central Fraser Valley Star Publishing, Ltd.
Fax: (604)856-5212
Website: http://www.aldstar.com/
Contact:  Myron Von Hollingsworth

CANNABIS CAN'T BE PATENTED

Editor, The Star, Sir,

Cannabis has no lethal dose and its pharmacological effects have never
caused a single death in over 5,000 years of recorded history.

The (unseen) driving force against medical (or unrestricted adult)
legalization of cannabis is the fact that cannabis can't be patented.
This precludes the need for big business to be involved and that fact
makes cannabis commercially unattractive, pharmaceutically speaking.
It seems that if it can't be profitized successfully, the government
can't justify legalization even for the sick and dying.

Unfortunately, a change in current policy (prohibition) would
necessitate that the alternative (legalization) reap more profits
(seen and unseen) than our present policy does.

Maybe the politicians are required to adhere to the party line of
prohibition because law enforcement, customs, the prison industrial
complex, the drug testing industry, the INS, the CIA, the FBI, the
DEA, the politicians themselves, et al, can't live without the budget
justification, not to mention the invisible profits, bribery,
corruption and forfeiture benefits that prohibition affords them. The
drug war also promotes, justifies and perpetuates racist enforcement
policies and is diminishing many freedoms and liberties that are
supposed to be inalienable according to the constitution and bill of
rights.

MYRON von HOLLINGSWORTH,
Fort Worth, Texas
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