Pubdate: Fri, 19 Mar 2004 Source: Kamloops This Week (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 Kamloops This Week Contact: http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1271 Author: Robert Saint Amour DROP ARCHAIC POT LAW Editor: A recent news item has an authoritative spokesperson telling the world that here in B.C. they are investigating at least eight murders related to marijuana grow-ops, all associated with organized crime trying to control territory. The St. Valentine's Day massacre was such a turf fight - nothing more. One gang wanted exclusive rights to sell booze in a certain area. There is nothing new here; these gang wars have existed for as long as we've had stupid laws banning products and services people want. Since prohibition was repealed in the U.S., no brewery has gone to war with another distiller over "turf" and nobody has since dressed up as a cop to mow down the competition. As a matter of fact, some of the biggest fortunes in Canada came from liquor sales, both before and after American prohibition. It has been said many times, when a law is ignored, opposed or broken by the majority, the law is bad and needs to go. When there is no profit to be gained by illicitly growing marijuana, the violence to control it and the dangers associated with its production will disappear overnight, just like they did after the American prohibition amendment was thrown out - much to the chagrin of Canadian bootleggers, I may add. Even a casual glance at history dealing with the illicit production of bathtub gins amply illustrates numerous explosions and fires. Complete towns were wiped out because somebody was cooking a mash and passed out as a result of consuming the previous batch. Ignorance inevitably leads to disaster and grow-ops are certainly no exception to this rule. The numerous fires and blatant disrespect for the hazards surrounding the growing and harvesting of marijuana should be ample proof that the laws are being broken by some pretty stupid people. The same kind of idiots that blew up their homes distilling alcohol when that was illegal. Robert Saint Amour Surge Narrows, B.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh