Pubdate: Tue, 18 Apr 2006
Source: Oshawa This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: 2006 Oshawa This Week
Contact:  http://www.durhamregion.com/dr/info/oshawa/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1767
Author: Matthew Fawcett
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

DECRIMINALIZATION YES, LEGALIZATION NO

To the editor:

Re: Want to see criminal dope proceeds go up in smoke? Jeff Mitchell 
column, April 7.

Although legalizing marijuana might be an appealing answer, it is not 
the right one.

The Liberal government was right in developing decriminalization 
legislation. Why? To think that legalizing the drug for everyone will 
cut out the middleman makes just as much sense as saying that minimum 
wages will create more jobs.

The opposite is true for both.

Legalizing marijuana will allow more people to become middlemen in 
the pursuit of profit; minimum wage acts as a ceiling floor limiting 
employment.

The use of drugs to be about the effects; in today's age it's about 
how much profit can be made with little investment and the use of a 
neighbour's hydro line.

If Canada legalizes marijuana, then it would create more middlemen, 
which will mean more competition, and most likely, more dangerous and 
criminal behaviour to protect that profit.

Decriminalization will limit criminal behaviour and reduce the burden 
on the court system, while allowing people who make the choice to 
smoke recreationally have peace of mind.

Matthew Fawcett

Oshawa
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman