Pubdate: Thu, 10 Dec 2015
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Black Press, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nanaimodailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Matthew M. Elrod
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n690/a03.html

NO GOOD CAN COME OF ENFORCING CANNABIS LAWS

To the editor,

Regarding cannabis dispensaries, you opined "skirting the law - or
outright breaking it - will not bring solutions any faster." ("Solving
The Marijuana Question Is Going To Take Time," Dec. 8).

Patients would not have a constitutional right to medicinal cannabis
if they had not broken and challenged the law in court. Nor would they
have a right to make and possess extracts and edibles if a compassion
club in Victoria had not disobeyed and challenged that prohibition in
court.

Vancouver was compelled to regulate dispensaries after their
proliferation forced the city to act. The Liberal government intends
to legalize cannabis, in part, to reduce availability to minors and to
undermine the black market. Every solution ever made or proposed has
been a consequence of people breaking the law.

Unlike black market dealers, brick and mortar dispensaries are
motivated to deny sales to minors and to remain on good terms with
their clients and communities. Raiding dispensaries just forces
patients to grow their own, return to the black market, seek out an
adolescent or take pharmaceuticals. Nothing good comes from it.

In the interim, absent aggravating circumstances, the police and
prosecutors should make enforcing cannabis laws their lowest priority.

Matthew M. Elrod
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt