Pubdate: Fri, 05 Mar 2004
Source: Mississauga News (CN ON)
Copyright: The Mississauga News 2004
Contact:  http://www.mississauganews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/268
Author: Thomas J. Hillgardner

DRUGS FOR EVERYONE!

Dear Editor:

That organized crime thrives under prohibition is not news and should not 
surprise anyone.

Anyone who just realized that it's organized crime operating many grow 
houses hasn't been paying attention. Those who have been paying attention 
and who are capable of learning lessons from history know that it is the 
prohibition of marijuana -- not the government's alleged lax attitude 
towards it -- that makes the marijuana growing industry profitable to 
organized criminal gangs.

Marijuana growers proliferate in the United States where it is not subject 
to custom's inspections and where the drug laws are harsh. Prohibition 
removes all government controls over the distribution of marijuana and it 
is this reason why children find it easier to obtain marijuana than alcohol 
or tobacco, not the proximity of the grow house to the school.

Of course, decriminalization -- short of outright legalization -- will only 
make matters worse.

That is why you should ignore Ambassador Cellucci and his shrill complaints 
about marijuana legalization leading to tighter borders. If the attacks on 
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon weren't enough for the U.S. to 
tighten its borders, a little marijuana certainly won't do it. Thomas J. 
Hillgardner Jamaica, New York
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom