Pubdate: Tue, 07 Feb 2006
Source: Brock Press, The (CN ON Edu)
Copyright: 2006 The Brock Press.
Contact: http://www.brockpress.com/main.cfm?include=submit
Website: http://www.brockpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2865
Author: Steven Evenden
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT SMOKING?

Just legalize marijuana.

Not for the throngs of potheads who throw their money into a burnable
substance for a cheap, momentary thrill. Not for the shysters who wear
trench coats and sell little baggies for $10. Not for me, because I
have never touched the stuff. We should do it for the sick, blind and
sore.

It's a sad situation that almost half the Canadians who receive
medicinal marijuana can not afford it because it cuts into their food
budget. These are people who need it for all the right reasons, but
cannot withstand the $150 price tag for low-quality government dope.
It is a shame that the physically ill are being put out because the
government is trying to protect its people from a soft drug.

This leads to an interesting question: What responsibility does a
government have to protect its people, and can they do it at the
expense of other citizens?

Canada has always been about the social protection of its people, and
has changed several important laws to comply with the ideology that
what is best for the people is best for the nation.

But this is talk of legalizing a drug that has been banned in many
countries, and semi-legalized already   at least in small quantities.

The government is trying to control the distribution of marijuana in
Canada, but in doing so are ripping off the people they are desiring
to protect. Furthermore, it is believed the quality of the marijuana
is so poor that it isn't helping the physical condition of the patients.

Further complicating the issue is the tax payers being ripped off by
the administration of the program and the $180,000+ in unpaid bills.

Although our government has incredible desire to have a bureaucratic
hand in all matters of the people, it is unlikely they would ever let
this slide to a private matter, but the benefits are obvious: Smaller
purchase quantities makes the "medicine" easier to come by. If a
patient can find a reliable and trustworthy supplier, it would make
access easy.

No one wants people to suffer, not even the new Conservative
government (though that's a debate for another day).

The important qualification there is that our rulers have acknowledged
the necessity of marijuana for sick people, but have been unable to
deliver on the promise.

Short of a costly overhaul of the system which would include replacing
the current provider of medi-pot Prairie-Plant Systems, there are very
few options available, and the right way to help the citizens is a
slightly-regulated free market system which would include trusted
outlets who can find their own supply and charge lower prices because
of the dropping of the "middle-man price".

Many hang-ups still exist, and they are legitimate. The Canadian
government produces clean and pure marijuana, while anything else
could be questionable at best. It would also be problematic to make
sure that those in need do not go completely without or fall into
other problems when they cannot afford it.

Problems exist, and people are chomping at the bit to get their drugs.
The time is right to let the needs of the few take precedence over the
problems of the many. let the grass grow freely.
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MAP posted-by: Derek