Pubdate: Sat, 27 Jul 2013
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2013 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wEtbT4yU
Website: http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Jeff Gardiner
Page: A19

IS TAXING DOPE A SMART IDEA?

Re: Weed Out The Flawed Laws, Chris Selley, July 26.

When asked how Canada should deal with marijuana, Liberal leader
Justin Trudeau suggests: "Tax it, regulate. It's one of the only ways
to keep it out of the hands of our kids because the current war on
drugs, the current model is not working."

I would like to point out that this is exactly how we deal with
tobacco and that approach has not kept it out of the hands of kids -
and it hasn't cut down on illegal activity from organized crime.

In a 2009 report by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, it was
estimated that at least 60,000 Ontario students from Grade 7 to 12
smoke contraband cigarettes. In addition, the Canadian Taxpayers
Federation estimates that Canada loses at least $1.2-billion in tax
revenue to organized crime from contraband tobacco sales.

The only thing that will change by regulating and taxing marijuana
will be the creation of more laws and the dedication of more police
resources to combat the loss of tax revenue from the illegal pot market.

Jeff Gardiner, Waterloo Region, Ont.
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MAP posted-by: Matt