Pubdate: Wed, 18 Dec 2002
Source: Oakville Beaver (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002, Oakville Beaver
Contact:  http://www.haltonsearch.com/hr/ob/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1600
Author: Terence H. Young

FORMER MPP DISMAYED WITH RECOMMENDATION TO DECRIMINALIZE MARIJUANA

Drug dealers across Canada are cheering quietly this week and preparing to 
expand their operations. Incredibly, a parliamentary committee in Ottawa 
chaired by Burlington MP Paddy Torsney has recommended that possession of 
30-50 joints of marijuana become a ticketing offence, like speeding. Paddy, 
who admits she has smoked marijuana in the past, joked with the media 
saying it depends how thick you roll the joints. This foolish idea would 
undoubtedly widely expand use of this narcotic, putting more drugs into the 
hands of children and teens. Speeding is the norm on our streets and 
highways because ticketing simply acts as a licence to commit an offence.

Having represented a considerable part of Burlington and Oakville for four 
years at Queen's Park, I can say I never once heard anyone suggest that 
marijuana be decriminalized. What I heard was that decent people are fed up 
with crime, especially drug dealers, those who don't pay their fare share 
of taxes, and are concerned with threats to our health care system. Since 
there was never any mention of liberalizing narcotics laws in any of Paddy 
or Bonnie Brown's election literature from 1993 on, one has to wonder how 
far out of touch with their ridings and reality they can possible get.

Here are three key myths regarding marijuana, which the government members 
apparently believe:

1. Marijuana use doesn't lead to other drugs. False, it very often does. 
Ask any drug user if they have smoked marijuana. The vast majority will say 
yes.

2. Marijuana is not addictive. False. There are untold thousands of people 
who are highly dependent on marijuana. It depletes initiative, dulls the 
thinking and impairs the user's judgement -- a tragic lifestyle very 
difficult to escape.

3. Marijuana is harmless. False. Marijuana use is involved in many property 
crimes, assaults and many vehicle accidents causing injuries and death. 
Marijuana sales finance other types of crime, which costs taxpayers 
billions of dollars. Marijuana dealers don't pay tax. Marijuana growers are 
stealing millions of dollars of hydro from the rest of us. Marijuana 
related social problems in families and schools cause untold misery and 
overload our social service agencies. Marijuana induced impairment reduces 
productivity in our workplaces, causes accidents and prevents children and 
teens from learning in school. Marijuana smoke itself contains hundreds of 
chemicals from which users will suffer ill health as they get older putting 
an even greater burden on our health care system.

Decriminalizing pot will attract the most resourceful and wealthy dealers 
from around the world to Canada and pout millions in their pockets to 
finance other crime. Our young people will have pot shoved in their faces 
everywhere they go. Police will spend more and more time trying to keep up 
with mis-behaviour of impaired marijuana users and their wealthy dealers, 
like Amsterdam where shops have been forced to install pull-down aluminum 
shutters at night. Imagine downtown Oakville and Burlington stores with 
aluminum shutters covering all the windows after 6 p.m.

If only for the young people that the Liberals are prepared to write off, 
please take a minute and call the offices of Paddy Torsney (905-639-5757) 
and Bonnie Brown (905-827-2077) to tell them you don't want more drugs on 
our streets.

TERENCE H. YOUNG
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom