Pubdate: Sat, 23 Dec 2017
Source: South Peace News, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2017 South Peace News
Contact:  http://www.southpeacenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2261
Author: Betty Unger

SLOW DOWN, EVERYONE

Why is the federal government in such a hurry to pass its marijuana
legalization legislation when there are still so many questions and so
few answers?

Just this week, the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police said that
the legislation is coming too fast, stating that, "There is
insufficient time to prepare the necessary legislative framework and
regulations to ensure the public safety". The Canadian Association of
Police Chiefs warned that it will be "impossible" to be ready for the
government's target of legalizing marijuana by July 2018. Do these
things not matter?

Why is the Trudeau government not listening to their own Department of
Health who warned that youth under the age of 25, whose brains are
still developing, should not be smoking marijuana? Why are they
ignoring all the evidence that says more (not fewer) youth will smoke
marijuana after legalization, and that car crashes due to impairment
by marijuana will increase significantly? Why do they insist that
organized crime will decrease after legalization and yet the experts
say we are "deluding ourselves" if we think that legalizing marijuana
will remove the criminal component?

Canada is the first developed country in the world to legalize
marijuana. The proposed legislative and regulatory framework is still
in its infancy - not even half-baked - and yet Trudeau stubbornly
insists on recklessly plunging ahead. Why? Are there conflicts of
interest driving this agenda? How would we know if there were?

There is something extremely repugnant, foolish and suspicious about
the government's mindless haste. It's time to slow down, take a deep
breath and a step back. Canadians deserve answers to their many
questions before we go any further.

Betty Unger, Alberta Senator
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MAP posted-by: Matt