Pubdate: Sun, 29 Jan 2006
Source: Quesnel Cariboo Observer (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Quesnel Cariboo Observer
Contact:  http://www.quesnelobserver.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1260
Author: Graham Gerry
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DRUG, HANDGUN WARS ABOUND

It's interesting the editorial pages have been dominated by marijuana 
and guns recently.

So far there have been seven pro-handgun letters and three gun-control letters.

There have also been three letters concerning marijuana.

Guns and drugs have a lot in common.

Many parents don't want either marijuana or handguns legalized 
because they know their children will be much better off if they 
don't get involved with illegal guns and don't waste their youth 
getting stoned.

It is also widely acknowledged that much of the gun crime in Canada 
is drug-related.

Contrastingly, even though they both contain a degree of risk, guns 
and drugs give some people a sense of contentment. Many people 
believe they have a personal right to use both guns and drugs, and 
believe a prohibition on either will do more harm than good.

Many of the people who are profiting the most from handgun sales are 
lobbying the hardest to prevent gun control.

Similarly, a militant anti-drug policy probably greatly helps the gun 
industry and keeps privatized jails running at capacity in the U.S. 
Many of these same guys are lobbying hard to maintain the 
criminalization of marijuana.

In 1921, Albert Einstein wrote, "The prestige of the U.S. government 
has undoubtedly been lowered by the (alcohol) Prohibition law. 
Nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law 
of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open 
secret the dangerous increase in crime in this country is closely 
connected with the Prohibition."

It seems obvious in hindsight, but ironically half the population 
would probably scorn Einstein if he said the same thing about marijuana today.

Admittedly, Einstein should have also considered how ending the U.S. 
Prohibition would affect domestic violence, car accidents, fetal 
alcohol syndrome, liver problems and other medical conditions.

In 2002, after interviewing dozens of Canadian, American, Swiss and 
Dutch drug experts, doctors, pharmacologists, psychiatrists, police 
officers, customs agents and addiction councillors, Canada's Senate 
concluded "Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis 
is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should not be treated 
as a criminal issue."

It's sobering to ask doctors, nurses, psychiatrists and even police 
officers how many marijuana patients they treat each week, compared 
to alcohol patients.

Even though it is widely used, comparatively few people seem to 
suffer from marijuana-induced injuries or diseases.

All laws are based on precedents, consistency and fairness.

Jack Lozier (People not guns need controlling, Jan. 8, 2006) argued 
he has a right to own a handgun because gun crime leads to fewer 
deaths than car accidents. It can be argued equally well that 
marijuana should be legalized because it leads to fewer deaths than 
either alcohol, guns or cars.

Many people worry, however, that even though marijuana isn't as 
harmful as alcohol (see the above senate report), it still creates 
some health problems.

Similarly, even though registered handguns are relatively safe, 
former RCMP officer Paul Drescher mentioned they are still currently 
responsible for 16 per cent of the gun crime (Handgun ban won't end 
violence, Jan. 8, 2006).

Rick Wager (Target the smuggled guns, Dec. 25, 2005) is probably 
right that confiscating legally owned handguns is not necessary.

The argument gun crime went up in Britain and Australia following its 
ban is, however, at best a statistic. The UK government stresses the 
apparent rise in violent crime merely reflected better reporting and 
recording of offences.

Because of the handgun ban, several people were recently charged with 
the new crime of simply possessing handguns. Both the UK and 
Australia are also suffering from lots of internal strife and 
violence from being at war in Iraq.

It's also notable Toronto is experiencing a 400 per cent increase in 
gun deaths since 1998 even though it has not had a gun ban. 
http://www.petervanloan.com/doc2005-10-24a.html

I agree with both Wager and Drescher that there should be stronger 
laws against gun crime. They also convinced me that severely 
regulating the sale of handguns will help prevent their proliferation.

I'm also convinced that regulating the sale of marijuana will 
significantly reduce both gun crime and gang violence. Legalized 
marijuana, like tobacco products, should be strictly controlled and 
packaged to detail its toxicity.

This would eliminate most of the problems associated with variable 
strengths of pot and pot laced with other drugs and chemicals. It 
would also relieve toker's paranoia of being arrested or mistreated 
by the thugs who are currently selling it.

Decriminalizing pot without licensing producers and distributors (or 
allowing tokers to grow their own plants) will only ensure long-term 
profits for organized crime. It will also do nothing to prevent drug 
sales to children or eliminate contaminated drugs, grow-ops and gang violence.

If people believe marijuana is completely different than alcohol 
because "it affects your mind," they should give their kid an IQ test 
while he's hammered and puking up a storm.

The precedent of legalizing marijuana wouldn't necessarily force the 
legalization of everything from crystal meth to cherry-scented 
sniffing glue. It's reasonable to use alcohol at a tolerable limit. 
Drugs that are more harmful than alcohol would remain banned. Those 
clearly less harmful than alcohol, could be legalized.

The other consistent, fair and precedent-setting option is to ban 
alcohol and bring it into line with other drug laws. Few people, 
however, would willingly give up their right to have a cold beer 
after work or glass of wine with dinner.

Graham Gerry

Quesnel
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman