Pubdate: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Sandra Latreille Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) GOVERNMENTS MIGHT AS WELL PROFIT FROM POT Let's legalize marijuana and collect the taxes, says Mayor Larry Campbell. Put the gangs out of business, shut down the grow-ops, prevent some of the contract hits, provide more treatment centres -- the list goes on and on. It is about time we quit worrying about what Americans think about the use of marijuana and become proactive instead of reactive. Picking up, charging and deporting all the illegal immigrants selling hard drugs and chemicals would be another step in the right direction. The government (i.e., taxpayers) is losing billions of dollars by not legalizing and collecting taxes on a commodity that people will use no matter what the law says. Sandra Latreille Vancouver - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom