Pubdate: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 Source: Seattle Weekly (WA) Copyright: 2003 Seattle Weekly Contact: http://www.seattleweekly.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/410 Author: Matthew Hulett Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n1222.a02.html Cited: Drug Enforcement Administration www.dea.gov Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) GOLDEN WEED "Law enforcement says the growers are just kidding themselves. 'Eventually they all get captured . . . ,' says Thomas O'Brien, a Drug Enforcement Administration spokesperson in Spokane" [The Drug Issue, "The Bud Report," Aug. 13]: Uh, to this reader, it appears the DEA has been fooling itself since its inception in 1973. Serving to continue the Big Lie that was begun in the 1930s. Can anyone deny crime pays? Handsomely? People can grow gold on a weed, and some wonder why our policy is counterproductive. . . . If everyone gets busted eventually, it is hard to envision how marijuana has become our No. 1 cash crop in this country. I think the hype about B.C. bud was always propaganda created by our DEA to justify meddling in Canadian affairs concerning their moves toward decriminalization and medical marijuana. It is hard to tell the public you need to wage war on tolerant attitudes. Said propaganda always rang false, because we are flooding Canada with far more soft and hard drugs, and guns, than they ship here in a relative trickle. Matthew Hulett Brick, N J - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin