Pubdate: Sun, 13 Aug 2006
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2006 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

PROHIBITION CREATES THE GROW OPS

Montreal's hazardous marijuana grow operations are a direct result of 
marijuana prohibition.

Legitimate farmers do not steal electricity to grow produce in the 
basements of rented homes. If legal, growing marijuana would be less 
profitable then farming tomatoes. As it stands, the drug war distorts 
market forces so that an easily grown weed is literally worth its 
weight in gold.

Rather than continue to subsidize organized crime, Canadian 
policymakers should ignore the reefer madness of the U.S. government 
and instead look to their own Senate for guidance. In the words of 
Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, "Scientific evidence overwhelmingly 
indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol 
and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and 
public health issue."

Robert Sharpe

Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman