Pubdate: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 Source: Grand Forks Gazette (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Sterling Newspapers Contact: http://www.mapinc.org/media/525 Author: Russell Barth, Note: The newspaper does not have an active website. Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1313/a02.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1341/a01.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1341/a04.html TAKE DRUGS OUT OF EQUATION Editor, The Gazette: I Am Responding To The Editorial, Drug Seizure Highlights Need In The Sept. 27 Issue Of The Gazette. What would happen if we suddenly criminalized alcohol? Gangsters would celebrate, because they'd have a new commodity to trade in. This would boost business in every level of their operations, no matter what commodities they deal in. What would happen if we regulated drugs? Gangsters would be angry because their main commodities have been regulated right out from under them. They would lose profits and power. So if we really wanted to throw a wrench in the machinery of criminal activity, and protect our kids in the process, we would legalize and regulate drugs like we do alcohol. Marijuana, meth and X go south; cocaine, guns and heroin come north, or through our ports. This is huge business. But when you don't name the drugs, then it is all one thing; smuggling. Weapons, drugs, people - all just cargo with a price tag to those guys. It is just business. But if we take the drugs out of the equation, we take a huge amount of cash off of the gangsters. This makes every other thing they do that much more difficult. The fact that our government refuses to even consider regulation leads me to wonder exactly who or what they are trying to protect. Al Capone had high-ranking government and law-enforcement officials on his payroll, so maybe that offers us some clue. Russell Barth, Federal medical marijuana license holder, Ottawa, Ont. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine