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 - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom