Pubdate: Wed, 21 Oct 2009
Source: Nelson Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Nelson Daily News
Contact: http://www.nelsondailynews.com/section/nelson0303&template=letter
Website: http://www.nelsondailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/288
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n922/a01.html
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n937/a06.html
Author: Bruce Codere

PROHIBITION AND POT BUSTS DO NOT WORK

To the Editor:

Re: Police outdoor pot busts yield high numbers

The reason illicit drugs are so expensive and so profitable is
exclusively because of prohibition.

Every cannabis grower and dealer in the world is grateful for the
profits government legislated idiocy provides.

When the RCMP estimate the value of cannabis by the joint, they must
be counting on people not realizing that most people buy between an
eighth of an ounce and an ounce.  Buying pot by the joint is desperate.

They do this to deflect attention from how counter-productive, costly
and damaging prohibition is.  They only bust a pathetic five to 10 per
cent of all growers.  All that does is subsidize the ones that never
get busted by driving up the price to the consumer.

The public deserves answers from the RCMP to the following
questions:

1) What was the cost to the taxpayer for these operations?

2) Is there evidence that these operations actually reduce the
availability of cannabis?

3) Is there even one legitimate study that shows prohibition is less
harmful than the drugs themselves?

4) Has prohibition ever succeeded in decreasing drug consumption or
crime?

Prohibition is a hoax and a fraud.  Cannabis is the most medicinally
active plant on Earth.  Keeping it from the people is criminal.

Bruce Codere

Fox Creek, AB
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr