Pubdate: Wed, 22 Feb 2012
Source: Burnaby Now, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.burnabynow.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1592
Author: Larry Melnyk

LEGALIZING POT WON'T WORK

Dear Editor:

The legalization of marijuana from a social and financial viewpoint
seems to make sense. Control its use via government regulation,
decriminalize the user, and tax the hell out of it.

However, the whole debate is ignoring the elephant in the room, the
United States of America. Approximately 90 per cent of the illegal
crop, controlled by organized crime groups, is imported into the U.S.

This is where the gangs make their unbelievable profits, and the
control of these profits is where the violence comes into the equation.

Even if marijuana is legalized here in Canada, the gangs will still be
controlling the illegal production and importation of the product
heading south.

This will never change, unless the U.S.A. legalizes marijuana, and
that will never occur.

Larry Melnyk

Burnaby
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.