Pubdate: Wed, 16 May 2012
Source: Coquitlam Now, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 E.W. Bopp
Contact:  http://www.thenownews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1340
Author: E.W. Bopp
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n257/a05.html

LEGALIZATION WON'T SOLVE WOES

Re: "Legalize it? Not in the Tri-Cities," Wednesday, May 2.

"Legalize, regulate and tax" pot and - presto - gang-related violent
crime in our communities and fear among our citizens would disappear.
But wait,

that's not all. The collateral benefit of a "potted" Canada will be of
having solved, virtually overnight, Canada's problem of declining
tourism from south of the border and elsewhere.

Just think of the enormous tourism potential of a mass influx of
drug-

deprived folks descending on the "True North, Strong and Free and 
Legally Drugged," pouring untold millions of much-needed dollars into 
our struggling economy - with many undoubtedly wishing to stay 
permanently. Indeed, that's the kind of "stimulus" (pun intended) 
that would really help us all get through these hard economic times 
with a "buzz." On a less euphoric note, however, the myths and 
fallacies of "ending marijuana prohibition" are many. Here are just 
two, as outlined by the Canadian Police Association:

Myth 1: Legalization will drive the crime rate down.

Myth 2: Organized crime would be reduced if drugs were
legalized.

While the proponents of marijuana legalization may consider the above
mere "police propaganda," I would nevertheless join Port Moody Mayor
Mike Clay in challenging them to provide us with a view of whatever
"reality" they are coming from.

Perhaps we should temper the revisionist view of legalizers who take
their history from celluloid "prohibition" images of 1930s gangster
movies.

E.W. Bopp

Delta
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D