Pubdate: Sun, 06 May 2012
Source: Morning Star, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 The Morning Star
Contact:  http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1352
Author: Rory White

IF WE LEGALIZE IT, WHAT'S NEXT?

Hands up if you simply think the smell of burning pot stinks. Thank 
you. If you want to walk into any apartment building and smell the 
aroma of musty, heavy burning marijuana, legalize it.

If you want to inhale that same aroma when approaching a store 
downtown by the rear entrance, legalize it. If you want to smell it 
out in many public places where smoking is currently allowed, legalize it.

If you want your 10 - 16 year old to be able to get it from someone 
older, that they know outside a store, (which is simple bootlegging), 
versus having to try harder to find a source because it's illegal, 
then legalize it.

If you want to open the door to your kid thinking it's OK to try any 
drug out there because "hey, why not, pot's legal", then legalize it.

The deterrents that exist now will diminish if this narcotic is 
legalized. The fact that it is illegal, believe it or not, keeps some 
kids from trying any drugs, period.

The fact that it's illegal, gives our subconscious a little bit more 
reason not to do it.

Sure it's natural, but not everything natural is here to benefit us. 
If you think it is, then go for a walk through some poison ivy or 
stingy nettle plants. Go eat some wild mushroom varieties, that you 
shouldn't ingest. See how naturally rewarded you feel then.

The recent activists that are promoting the legalization have all 
kinds of arguments for it, that make sense in some ways.

However, if you legalize marijuana, what's next? The local 
politicians, (and thank you Brian Quiring, I can't agree with council 
on this one either), are looking at it from mostly a money and 
numbers perspective.

The activity associated with pot and such now is expensive for police 
to deal with. Here's the thing though, part of that is because so 
many people use it out there. People you wouldn't normally think of. 
And, like any other addiction, it becomes the most important thing 
you need to do for yourself at that moment that you feel the need.

But if you think it gets used a lot now, see what happens if you legalize it.

There will be a whole new set of problems and issues that will cost 
way more, and you think the government will honestly put all of this 
newfound legalized revenue back into those issues?

Yeah right!

Rory White
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom