Pubdate: Sat, 10 Aug 2013
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Martin Showell
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n385/a03.html

POT: TO LEGALIZE OR NOT

Re: Legalizing pot, endorsing stupidity, Aug. 7

My goodness Rosie! Tell us how you really feel!

Cannabis users are stupid, dumb, and imbecilic, but also mellow and 
de-stressed. This as opposed to your admitted drug of choice, 
alcohol, which in my experience makes people stupid, dumb, and 
imbecilic but also throws in a nice measure of violent and abusive 
(as opposed to mellow and de-stressed, just in case you missed my point).

But you don't stop with insulting the 20 per cent of Canadians 
between 15 and 64 who smoked pot last year, you go on to attack and 
disparage the entire Liberal Party of Canada membership along with 
our newly elected leader.

Justin Trudeau, according to you, is also "stupid" but in his case 
you have added "callow" and "silly" too. Very nice. And apparently 
the 81,000 members and supporters that voted for him must be pretty 
dumb as, apparently, the only reason we voted for him was because of 
his name. There could not possibly be any chance that Trudeau was 
elected in spite of his name and because of this message of hope and 
change and his ability to connect with the people. None.

You label Trudeau as a flip-flop artist. Some of us see that as being 
open minded and supporting the desires of his party and the majority 
of Canadians. As having the humility to admit that maybe he was wrong.

But let's ignore your vitriol and look at your actual "arguments":

You fear "ruthless black market forces" will take over like they did 
with cigarettes. And how is cannabis distributed now? By ruthless 
black market forces, I believe. And where will these forces get their 
cannabis and who will they sell it to when we can buy legal cannabis 
for less money?

Cannabis can be produced and distributed for about the same cost as 
tomatoes. Add on some very healthy tax and licensing fees and it will 
still be cheaper than any illegal product. Gee, which will I buy? 
Cheap and legal or expensive and illegal?

And I just have to ask: What does Paul Bernardo have to do with any 
of this? So far in this "piece" you have associated the legalization 
of cannabis with heroin use and notorious schoolgirl sex killers. Can 
you say "propaganda? Why not just tell us all to go watch Reefer Madness?

Regarding Trudeau not offering a "cogent thought" ... The Liberal 
party of Canada is in the process of developing a full policy 
framework, Rosie. We'll get you your "cogent thoughts" on how it will 
work. But if you are really interested, please look into the draft 
proposal from the BC-LPC - Legalizing Marijuana - Answering Questions 
and Developing a Framework. It's called research - you remember, 
before you were given license to write any opinion you want 
regardless of facts?

"Massive grow-ops" ... "Pot version of Holland Marsh" ... "buying 
weed in bulk" ... Huh? What does any of that even mean ... one too 
many glasses of vino Rosie? ... you lost me.

You fear a "humungous regulation bureaucracy" ... why? Each province 
and territory already has a system of laws, licensing and regulation 
for the distribution and sale of alcohol why wouldn't we use those 
existing systems?

And of course, this is only pandering to the youth vote. Let's ignore 
that fact that most polls show that the largest cohort in favour of 
changing marijuana laws is the 55-64 age group. Interesting 
definition of the youth vote Rosie. But hey, us 55-65 years 'young' 
people appreciate the thought. Facts Rosie ... check your facts.

You start to make some sense towards the end of this "piece" that the 
problem is the criminal drug empires, but how exactly does 
decriminalization address that? Decriminalization makes it legal to 
own cannabis in small amounts but leaves the production, distribution 
and sale in the hands of criminals - how does this help? It doesn't. 
In any way. That is the problem with decriminalization, sheesh. I 
remember when you would have picked up on that right away.

I remember reading a piece by you a few years back, from Amsterdam, 
higher than a kite and loving it! Flip-flop? Alcohol and cigarettes 
are OK - they kill and create monsters - but pot? Heaven forbid that 
we should all be "mellow and de-stressed".

You epitomize the hypocritical "curmudgeon", Rosie. I can see you now 
sitting on your front stoop, cancer-sticks and liver rotting 
beverages in hand, shouting at anyone who passes by "Hey you kids! 
Get off the grass!"

Sincerely (a stupid, dumb, imbecilic, pot-smoking, 
Trudeau-supporting, Liberal),

Martin Showell, Toronto
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom