Pubdate: Tue, 22 Dec 2015
Source: Expositor, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 Brantford Expositor
Contact: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/letters
Website: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1130
Author: Garry Goold
Page: A4

LOOK AT ALL SIDES OF MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Is legalization of pot in Ontario a win -- or a Wynne -- opportunity 
for another tax and spend?

According to Premier Kathleen Wynne the LCBO is the ideal structure 
to legally sell, regulate and control this drug. Perhaps but consider 
the experience in recent legalization in U.S. states such as 
Colorado. At first blush it appears to be a runaway success. 
Colorado's governor said the rate of marijuana use has remained flat, 
arrests have gone down and the state is on pace to generate about 
$100 million in tax revenue this fiscal year.

The reality is more complex as the marijuana industry gets bigger and 
more commercialized. The Colorado governor's fear is that children 
will think that legalization of marijuana means it is less harmful.

Since legalization, hospital emergency admission rates connected to 
pot increased by 67% and deaths involving drivers who test positive 
for THC, the active ingredient in pot increased by 44%.

Colorado has a third the population of Ontario. You do the math.

Members of the federal government must be rubbing their hands 
together with the thought of all that marijuana tax money to spend on 
Liberal promises.

It might be wise to set some of this revenue aside to mitigate the 
downsides of legalization by funding counselling programs and education.

However, I have yet to see a Liberal government spend our tax dollars 
in a prudent fashion.

Garry Goold

Brantford
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom