Pubdate: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 Source: Abbotsford Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2003 The Abbotsford Times Contact: http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1009 Author: Tim Felger Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/tim+felger TIME TO END PROHIBITION THE EDITOR: The Abbotsford police are operating with antique police techniques. Prior to 1880 the western provincial police forces took their guidance from the RCMP. The RCMP policed a wild frontier and were not expressly police, they were also styled military. Their criminals had no charter of rights and they "always got their man." I expect Abbotsford police chief Ian Mackenize to understand the difference between modern, Charter-friendly policing and the paramilitary techniques he insists on using. It is not that the courts are too soft on criminals, it is that the judges see what crimes with real victims are on a daily basis. They are sending an uncoded message back to the police that marijuana is a victimless crime. There are more serious crimes to deal with than to waste the court's time with sanctuary crimes where there are no victims. Abbotsford mayor Mary Reeves, Mackenize and Alliance MP Randy White [Abbotsford-Langley] refuse to have an intelligent discussion about the problems of prohibition. Increased crime is a symptom of prohibition, just as a runny nose is a symptom of a cold. If the people of Abbotsford want to cut the crime rate by 70 per cent and cut the police force by $6 million a year, then they, along with Reeves and Mackenzie, should renounce prohibition of marijuana. Prohibition is a cancer on society that causes it to be more violent and less moral. Prohibition sucks the economic life out of the poorest members of society and leaves an inheritance of poverty to all its victims. We can not solve the problems of the world without money. All levels of government are strained for money . Why then are we wasting $1 billion a day and causing 5,000 human deaths each day to support the CIA's international prohibition? White refuses to admit the CIA is involved in international drug dealings. I invite all people to check out my website at www.britishcolumbiacannabis.com and watch the videos and see for themselves. Tim Felger Abbotsford - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin