Pubdate: Tue, 24 Jun 2014
Source: Telegram, The (CN NF)
Copyright: 2014 The Telegram
Contact:  http://www.thetelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/303
Author: Robert Sharpe
Page: A6

MACKAY MISSING THE MARK ON MARIJUANA

Peter MacKay would have Canadians believe that the job of keeping 
drugs out of the hands of children is best left to drug cartels. 
Right now kids have no trouble accessing illegal marijuana.

It's easier for kids to buy pot than beer. That's because illegal 
drug dealers don't ID for age.

Taxing and regulating marijuana will restrict youth access to drugs. 
More important, legalization will close the "gateway" to hard drugs 
by taking marijuana distribution out of the hands of criminals that 
sell meth and heroin.

Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose 
death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. 
Marijuana may be comparatively harmless, but marijuana prohibition is 
deadly. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's stance on legalizing 
marijuana makes sense. Don't be fooled by shameless Conservatives 
seeking to use the collateral damage caused by marijuana prohibition 
as reason to throw good money after bad public policy.

Robert Sharpe Policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom