Pubdate: Sat, 01 May 2010 Source: Expositor, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2010 Sun Media Contact: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/feedback1/LetterToEditor.aspx Website: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1130 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n330/a06.html Author: Russell Barth Note: title by newshawk POLICE HATE MEDICAL MARIJUANA USERS To The Editor, RE: 'Mountain over a marijuana hill' Police absolutely hate medical marijuana users because we undermine their entire agenda. For example; the police say marijuana is a dangerous drug, and we prove them wrong by getting healthier by using lots of it. Cops say it is impossible to grow pot safety in a home or a community, and we prove them wrong by doing so repeatedly, all across the country. Despite all science and history, cops say that legalization could never work, and that prohibition is the only way to manage the issue. But we prove them wrong by demonstrating exactly what responsible use and home-growing would look like. They hate us because we are the Human Rights "foot in the door" towards full-on legalization, and that will mean a reduction in crime, and that could mean police layoffs. So it is really no wonder the police are harassing the sick, the dying, and their caregivers: They are, as always, trying to protect their jobs. But it should also be noted that on Dec. 10, 1997, Canada's marijuana laws were declared unconstitutional by Justice Patrick Sheppard, which was upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal, July 31, 2000 (Catzman, Charron, and Rosenberg). This decision was not appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, and government has not re-enacted Criminal Code statute upon marijuana. Therefore, marijuana is technically legal, and has been for about 10 years. License or no license, the cops have no valid reason to be bugging people. Just like the prohibitions on same-sex marriage, medical marijuana, and abortion, the prohibition died in court, not Parliament. In 2003, you may recall, the law fell again in Ontario and pot was legal until October of that year. So really, the prohibition under which police are busting people is shaky at best, and at worst, completely invalid. The public is being bamboozled. It is explained in detail here: http://www.greenpassion.org/showthread.php?t=17635 http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=polcoa Russell Barth Federally Licensed Medical Marijuana User Drug Reform Analyst and Consultant Educators for Sensible Drug Policy - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom