Pubdate: Tue, 03 Dec 2013
Source: Aquinian, The (CN NK Edu)
Copyright: 2013 The Aquinian
Contact:  http://theaquinian.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5478
Author:  Jackie Muise

CAN'T WE JUST LEGALIZE WEED ALREADY?

Mature Muisings

I'm no doubt preaching to the choir here when I say I think marijuana
should be legalized. And that's an opinion that would stand just as
firmly in a university paper today as it would have had I been writing
during the good old "drug, sex and rock-and-roll" days in the '70s.

The difference is that, today, the majority of Canadians of all ages
now agree with me. In fact, a 2012 Angus Reid Public Opinion Poll
found that 57 per cent of Canadians across the country say marijuana
should be legalized and 66 per cent say they expect it will be within
ten years.

Likely, they have all drawn the same conclusions as I have during the
past 40 years. Booze and pills, the kind that are perfectly legal, and
easily accessible, cause more health problems, more accidental deaths
and more social and family crisis then all the pot heads combined.

Twenty-seven years working in a hospital facility and never once did
we ever see an overdose of grass (do they still call it grass?) Nor
did we ever have to contend with the broken bones, missing teeth or
smashed noses stemming from a marijuana induced bar fight.

Not only that, but one study estimated a typical Canadian province
could reap $500 million a year in taxes and licensing revenues through
government regulation of the product.

With those kind of numbers, that $10 billion New Brunswick deficit
could be swiped clean in no time. Just think, Fort McMurray would be a
ghost town within days of such an announcement and "Frack-Off"
anti-shale signs would soon be reading "So Long SWN" and "Get Your
Hootch Here."

Well, ok, that might be going too far.

But really, it's not that much of a pipe dream, pardon the pun. Even
the cops, The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police to be specific,
want reform around the issue of marijuana law.

Which actually brings me to the reason why I started thinking about
this issue in the first place. An RCMP officer, from right here in
Oromocto, has been in the news after being fired due to smoking pot in
public, while on duty and wearing his red surge uniform.

His story is he suffers from PTSD and marijuana has been prescribed as
a medically safe way to control symptoms of anxiety, which is actually
true. Many anti-anxiety medications have negative side effects not
experienced with marijuana use.

But having said all of that, with all the pros in favour of legalized
marijuana use, recreationally and medicinally, I have to say, I draw
the line at RCMP officers smoking dope in the parking lot of
J-Division on their lunch break.

And with that I want to wish everyone a great, safe Christmas and New
Years break, and please, don't drink or smoke pot and drive.

See you all in 2014.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D