Pubdate: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 Times Colonist Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Chuck Beyer MARIJUANA BAN CORRUPTS SOCIETY You let the criminals take over when you gave them monopoly control over a product used by 10 per cent of Canadians. Every step of the way the government's handling of matters has made them worse. Creating more draconian laws in regards to marijuana-growing will ensure that the price goes up while demand remains the same or grows -- ensuring even more prohibition-related violence and substantially more money that needs to be laundered. So the question becomes: When will we do what needs to be done? Marijuana must be regulated like alcohol. Unfortunately -- as displayed by the recent legislative raids -- those making the marijuana laws appear to be closely related to those profiting from prohibition and our governments may already be beholden to the status quo to protect associates in the underground economy. We in the anti-prohibition movement have been telling you all along that prohibition corrupts all institutions. Chuck Beyer, Port Alberni. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh