Pubdate: Tue, 26 Jul 2005
Source: Chatham Daily News, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 OSPREY Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.chathamdailynews.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1627
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

THE MARIJUANA MINDSET

With terrorists wandering the Western world looking to blow themselves, and 
as many innocents as possible, into tiny pieces, it's created for much 
tighter border security between Canada and the U.S. And this has sparked 
smugglers to take to new highs, and lows, to get their product across the 
border.

Enter three Canadians who allegedly went to extremes to get their crop to 
market. Someone dug out a tunnel, complete with a ventilation system and 
electrical lighting, from Vancouver into Washington State.

It seems the first trip through the tunnel will be the last, as the three 
men in question were arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute and 
import marijuana.

This act shows to what extremes people will go to get their cannabis 
contraband to its large illicit market. Border security makes overland 
routes that much less enticing.

Canada has long been viewed as much less reserved than the U.S., and 
British Columbia is about as laid back as a province can get. It's known as 
the marijuana capital of Canada, boasts a political party for potheads -- 
the marijuana Party -- and has a multi-billion dollar weed industry that 
rivals tourism and forestry with its economic clout, according to the 
Canadian Press.

Such profits, power and smuggling sound like the days of prohibition. Yet 
marijuana is just as illegal here as it is south of the border. But in 
Vancouver, at least in certain parts of the city, people roll joints in 
public, stores even sell seeds. It's almost as if the police have already 
decriminalized dope, even consider possession for personal consumption 
legal for all the arrests they don't make.

Last time we checked, police don't make the laws. If someone's openly 
smoking weed, they should be busted. Ditto for anyone trying to traffic the 
stuff. The police shouldn't be as laid back as certain lawbreakers.
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MAP posted-by: Beth