Pubdate: Mon, 08 Oct 2012
Source: Alaska Highway News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Glacier Interactive Media
Contact:  http://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/716
Authors: Megan Gorecki and Aleisha Hendry

SHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGALIZED, REGULATED AND TAXED LIKE ALCOHOL?

Duelling Pens

YES: Megan Gorecki

If marijuana were legalized, regulated and taxed like alcohol, it 
would help stop the under the counter distribution of the substance.

If controlled, it would force current pot dealers and growers to 
lower their prices, making the risk of selling it under the table 
cost more on their end than the buyer. Why take the risk if the 
profit return isn't high?

Continuing to sell or grow would become a small-time business in the 
bigger world of pharmaceuticals and likely stomped under by the 
professional competition. This would drive illegal dealers and 
growers to shut down their business.

The tax placed on marijuana could also help reduce the province's 
deficit, since it would be an added source of money the province 
currently doesn't have. If charged at a lower price than people 
currently pay under the table, users would likely be happy to save 
some money for something else, or another purchase at a later date.

Regulating the drug may also help curb the usage by some people who 
currently smoke to "rebel against the system" or prove a point that 
they can do it if they want to. There would likely be a decline in 
marijuana use if it was easy accessible and legal to do so.

People might even come across the border to get it - just as some of 
B.C.'s youth travel to Alberta to drink on their 18th birthday - 
bringing in even more money for our economy.

NO: Aleisha Hendry

Goodness gracious, what on earth are these hippies thinking?!?! 
Legalizing marijuana would be a catastrophe of cataclysmic proportions!

Firstly, ganja stinks to high heaven. Almost as bad as cigarettes, so 
if you want a bunch of smelly people walking around, fouling up the 
air and offending your precious olfactory senses, then have at it!

Secondly, and I don't know this from personal experience or anything, 
but it's my understanding that smoking the wacky tobacky makes you 
hungry. Like, really really hungry. We already have an obesity 
epidemic in this country, people! If people start dancing with mary 
jane on a regular basis, they're gonna "get the munchies" and then 
they're going to get fat! Plus there would be a shortage of skittles 
and cheetos! I don't want to live in a world without skittles and cheetos!

Thirdly, reefer allegedly makes things that are in no way funny 
absolutely hilarious. Watching cartoons aimed at two-year-olds while 
high as a kite is not a productive use of your time! Discussing the 
logistics of why Hello Kitty doesn't have a mouth on a t-shirt but 
somehow has one on the cartoon is not a useful way to spend your time!

Is that what we want, people? Fat smelly people that just talk about 
Hello Kitty all day? I think not!

So for those who want to puff the magic dragon like the rest of us 
down precious alcohol, maybe you should rethink which vice is better 
for society! I suggest knitting.

READ THIS!

Each week editorial staff take turns engaging in debate on a hot 
topic. These debates are intended to explore both sides of an issue 
and arguments expressed here are chosen by flip of the coin, 
therefore they do not necessarily reflect the true opinion of the duelist.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom