Pubdate: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 Source: Trail-Rossland News (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 Trail-Rossland News Contact: http://www.trailrosslandnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4398 Author: Stan White Referred: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n045/a01.html CONTROL MARIJUANA BY LEGALIZING IT Tom Fletcher (B.C. Losing War On Drug Gangs, Jan. 13, 2009), isn't just accurately describing the way things are; he's describing the direction things are moving, too. In the early 1970s the Le Dain Commission's report along with Canada's 2002, Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs' report unanimously recommended to regulate cannabis (marijuana) the same way as alcohol. Since Canada ignored those recommendations, the problems associated with prohibiting the relatively safe, socially acceptable, God-given plant cannabis have escalated. And it's not limited to Canada; look at what's happening in the U.S. and Mexico. Millions of North Americans have utter contempt for the continent's discredited cannabis laws, which are nothing more than government subsidized discrimination. Millions of North Americans demand cannabis and one way or the other that demand will be honoured. Cannabis will be cultivated and it will increase rather than decrease. Except for those who profit, nearly every person who uses cannabis would prefer to acquire it from regulated sources but all will purchase it in the black market if necessary. It's just a matter of who consumers give their money to. Right now consumers are ready, willing, able and eager to give it to regulated sources along with its share of taxes to government but if government doesn't want it. The money is changing hands either way. Stan White Dillon, Colorado - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom