Pubdate: Tue, 25 Apr 2006
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2006 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Cedric Silvester
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

ANSWER IS TO LEGALIZE POT

Contrary to the opinion of letter writer Susan Van Dreser in Pot 
benefits organized crime (April 22), marijuana activists are keenly 
aware that organized crime is the major beneficiary of marijuana 
prohibition. Criminals control the marijuana industry and criminals 
enjoy the profits from an estimated $15 billion per year market. They 
set the age limits, price, purity, location and hours of operation. 
And they fight among themselves for control of the industry, 
inevitably leading to innocent Canadians being caught in the cross-fire.

Ironically, most of the real harms of marijuana are due to ceding the 
market to criminals; few harms are due to the drug itself. The vast 
majority of users experience no significant health problems. The most 
significant risk for most users is being caught and receiving a 
criminal record.

Legalizing and regulating marijuana using the alcohol model would cut 
billions of dollars of funding from organized crime. Allowing small, 
personal grows would eliminate dangerous whole-house grow-ops. And 
honest, fact-based education could be effective in reducing teenage 
use, as it has done with cigarettes. The prohibition of marijuana is 
an abject failure by any measure. It's time to consider real 
alternatives. It's time to legalize and regulate marijuana.

CEDRIC SILVESTER

Peterborough, Ont.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman