Pubdate: Thu, 20 Apr 2006
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Adam Bard
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

DESPITE BENEFITS, POT IS ILLEGAL

Regarding Paul Willcocks' April 17 column "In the war on marijuana, 
individuals still have rights," I was appalled at the suggestion that 
"allowing people to grow a handful of plants without penalty would 
reduce the threat to neighbourhoods and the available profits for 
gangs." Shame on him.

Marijuana is an illegal drug. It is against the law of this country 
to possess or produce it. It shouldn't matter that it has never been 
linked to a fatality, has few addictive properties, is widely used 
and linked to few health defects, and has been spoken in favour of by 
such learned individuals as Pierre Berton and Carl Sagan. The fact 
that it is less toxic than either nicotine or alcohol and has proven 
medical use in fighting glaucoma and increasing the appetite of 
patients in chemotherapy is completely beside the point.

That busting illegal marijuana grow-ops is expensive in police time 
and resources is just indicative of the need for action.

Even though marijuana use has advanced to the point where police 
almost never arrest users, and where the government could stand to 
make a substantial financial gain by legalizing it and profiting from 
its sale and taxation while enforcing age regulations, and at the 
same time cutting costs spent fighting it and crippling the income of 
organized gangs in one fell swoop, we must be strong.

Marijuana is illegal. And doing illegal things is bad.

Right?

Adam Bard,

Victoria.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman