Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jul 2001 Source: Kitchener-Waterloo Record (CN ON) Copyright: 2001 Kitchener-Waterloo Record Contact: http://www.therecord.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225 Author: Neil MacNaughton Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1139/a03.html POT LAWS FUEL BLACK MARKET In response to the June 26 article, Pot Growers Were A Team, do the people of Waterloo Region support marijuana prohibition? Do they know this means they also support the black market and organized crime? Marijuana use dates back thousands of years. Its effects are sufficiently desirable that demand for it will never go away. In 1923, we prohibited the legal sale of marijuana. This immediately created the black market. In effect, we chose to let organized crime meet the demand. Occasionally, society is successful in curbing marijuana production by engaging in "lengthy and costly drug investigations," such as in the report of June 26. We don't nearly get all of it off the street. Meanwhile, organized crime rakes in millions from marijuana users who pay exorbitant black market prices caused by the drug's illegality. It's time to legalize marijuana and meet the demand ourselves. By licensing farmers to grow it and vendors to sell it, we will remove it from the black market and organized crime grow operations will be out of our neighbourhoods. Neil MacNaughton Oakville - --- MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe