Pubdate: Sat, 17 Apr 2010
Source: London Free Press (CN ON)
Copyright: 2010 The London Free Press
Contact: http://www.lfpress.com/comment/letters/write/
Website: http://www.lfpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/243
Author: D. E. Walsh

LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

Police rightly suggest the lucrative marijuana trade is responsible
for guns and cocaine crossing the border, but that is where logic
gives way to the usual, rehearsed spin-doctoring.

Marijuana would have no criminal market value if it were legal.
Large-scale cannabis gardens and protective booby traps would simply
cease to be.

Focus on predatory crimes and a stronger presence along our border are
obvious priorities over harassing amateur horticulturalists. Any
political fallout from legalization could be addressed with
science-based common sense. Demonstrating bolder resolve in Canadian
sovereignty overall wouldn't hurt.

Locking humans away in cages - branding them criminals for life - over
growing plants on private property, or for simply carrying some weed
around, is arguably similar to Taliban ideology.

D. E. Walsh

London
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake