Pubdate: Sat, 08 Jun 2002
Source: Telegram, The (CN NF)
Copyright: 2002 The Telegram
Contact:  http://www.thetelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/303
Author: Harry D. Fisher
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1045/a04.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

SENATORS AND MARIJUANA

Your reportage of the Senate committee that investigates illegal drugs on 
June 6, included a statement by Professor Bill McKim and Senator Tommy 
Banks in which "both agreed before any decisions were made (about 
decriminalization of cannabis), extensive testing and research would have 
to be done to study the effects of the drug on the body, and on a society."

Some questions

On a society? Where will they find a discardable test-society?

And what if the drug alters the mind and not the body? Would that be OK,, 
then?

Such poorly thought-out statements are in reality drug-war tactics designed 
to stall the decriminalization effort. The marijuana war is just too much 
of a gravy train to give up without a fight.

Also of interest was the passage where the RCMP "do not support legalizing 
marijuana in any way." How unsurprising.

Police cuts

Ending the war on cannabis users would lead to personnel cutbacks and the 
decrease of police power, and who could want that?

What a long way from when police were public servants and did the will of 
the citizens, rather that politicking for advantage.

Harry D. Fisher

Woodland Hills, CA
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