Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee appeared on CBC Compass on Friday to detail financial problems that the city foresees in preparing for the legalization of marijuana in 2018.The mayor did so but also took the opportunity to become the first leader in Canada to explain why the country will be making a huge mistake in legalizing the drug. He spoke the truth. Congratulations Mayor Lee, your remarks were right on and should be required listening for all federal and provincial politicians. [continues 75 words]
Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee appeared on CBC Compass on Friday to detail financial problems that his city foresees in preparing for the legalization of marijuana in 2018. The mayor did so but also took the opportunity to become the first leader in Canada to explain why the country will be making a huge mistake in legalizing the drug. He spoke the truth. Congratulations Mayor Lee, your remarks were right on and should be required listening for all federal and provincial politicians. [continues 77 words]
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. [continues 66 words]
To the Editor, Island Liberal MP Sean Casey's interview on CBC 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 he 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 dependant 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 counselling and medicinal drugs in recovery attempts. [continues 66 words]
Editor: The present debate on legalization of marijuana is important, interesting and was held about 100 years ago with regard to liquor; those in favour of wide-open liquor availability winning the fight. So what's the big deal now with marijuana? There are those who would quibble and point out that alcohol causes thousands of alcohol-related deaths annually in North America; many of those killed being innocent and sober victims of the drinkers. These same quibblers would no doubt also point out that health problems related to alcohol abuse cost our health systems dearly and that the societal cost to families affected by an alcoholic member is incalculable. [continues 257 words]
