Pubdate: Sun, 12 Mar 2006 Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Copyright: 2006 Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: http://www.winnipegsun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503 Author: Russell Barth Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) FIVE BILLION A YEAR, FOLKS One great way that we can support our troops is to stop wasting money on marijuana prohibition here at home. Every year, the police milk the taxpayers for $900 million to enforce drug laws. Then we add in the cost of courts, corrections, stolen hydro, cleanup of damaged homes -- and the cost is closer to $2 billion annually. A regulated marijuana market could generate up to $3 billion in annual tax revenue. That's $5 billion, every single year. Five billion buys a lot of education, rehab beds, law-enforcement for real crimes, and yes, even military equipment. Russell Barth Ottawa Sure, Harper'll go for that. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D