Pubdate: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 Source: Prince George Free Press (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.pgfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2135 Author: Russell Barth Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) MARIJUANA DEBATE SHOWS CONSERVATIVES' HYPOCRISY Editor: RE: Tories And The Gun Registry The Tories claim that the gun registry needs to be scrapped because it is expensive, disorganized, and does little to help public safety. The program has wasted about $100 million per year over the past 9-10 years, but has actually saved many lives, according to police. Marijuana prohibition has cost closer to $2 billion per year, is completely ineffective, and has done absolutely nothing to increase public safety or reduce crime. If anything, prohibition has caused problems that were never there in the first place. By not legalizing and regulating marijuana production and sales, our government subsidizes criminals, makes pot easier for kids to access than either tobacco or alcohol, wastes valuable police resources and billions of dollars annually, deprives Canada of a source of valuable medicine, and deprives us of an additional $3 billion in annual tax revenue. What a bunch of hypocrites! All of this leads me to wonder just which side of the law these so-called "Conservatives" are really on. Russell Barth Federal Medical Marijuana License Holder Ottawa - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman