Pubdate: Wed, 10 Sep 2014
Source: Guardian, The (CN PI)
Copyright: 2014 The Guardian, Charlottetown Guardian Group Incorporated
Contact:  http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/174
Author: Gary Naylor
Page: A6

NO MENTION OF OTHER COSTS

Editor: I am writing with regard to MP Sean Casey's recently announced 
stance in favour of decriminalizing marijuana.

The interview on Compass last week was lawyer-like in content,
stressing only one side of an argument, namely the early results of
Colorado's recent legalization, $77 million in tax revenues and the
seeming disappearance of criminal gang involvement in the marijuana
portion of the drug trade.

As an MP I feel you had an obligation to also have stressed, but
utterly failed to do so, that of course a substantial portion of that
$77 million in taxes as well as the cost of the marijuana would have
come from individuals dependent on the drug to the point that the
welfare of their families in terms of food, rent and mortgages may
have suffered; that many of the now more numerous 'users' would go on
to harder drugs in which the criminal element "would" be involved, and
that no doubt as the health-care system on P.E.I. has found, many of
these users would become addicts who seek the help of expensive
counseling and medicinal drugs in recovery attempts.

I would also add that a thinking Member of Parliament would have
pointed out that there would undoubtedly be many future studies
required in Colorado if highway accident rates increased and if
mandatory testing on an ongoing basis of people whose jobs require
complete abstinence from drug use was or would be a further drain on
health care.

Gary Naylor, Victoria West
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MAP posted-by: Matt