Pubdate: Thu, 15 Nov 2012
Source: Prince George Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Prince George Citizen
Contact:  http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/350
Author: Mark Nielsen

MLA RUSTAD MAKES LEGALIZATION CASE

Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad is breaking from the B.C. Liberal Party 
line and wading into the debate over whether marijuana should be 
legalized, saying the issue is at least worth discussing particularly 
given the recent outcome in Washington State.

Voters there have passed a proposition to legalize marijuana although 
the outcome remains subject to a court challenge from the U.S. 
federal government and about a year's work to determine how to best 
implement the initiative.

But if all goes ahead as planned, Rustad said the process of crossing 
the border could take longer, "and that, of course, slows down our 
trade which hurts our economy."

That comes on top of the prevailing argument that, like the 
prohibition on alcohol nearly a century ago, the laws against 
marijuana are only creating a cash cow for organized crime. Rustad 
pointed to a 2004 report from right-wing think tank Fraser Institute 
that estimated the wholesale value of marijuana grown in B.C. adds up 
to $2 billion a year.

"And we spend hundreds of millions of dollars trying to stop that and 
that's in terms of our courts, our policing, the lawyers work, the 
jails, all around marijuana," Rustad said.

"If it's legalized then suddenly that revenue stream for organized 
crime goes away, we can refocus those resources on policing to other 
tasks...and from my perspective that wouldn't be a bad thing to see happen."

Like alcohol and tobacco, taxing marijuana could add significantly to 
government coffers, Rustad said, perhaps as much as that $2 billion. 
"Instead of that going to organized crime, it could go to taxation," he said.

Legalizing marijuana could also provide an additional economic 
benefit, Rustad said, because it can be used for more than just smoking pot.

"The byproduct for marijuana, of course, is hemp and hemp is usable 
for paper products, it's usable potentially for biofuels, there is a 
whole bunch of things that could come from that and so that creates 
another economic driver or opportunity in the province," Rustad said.

Rustad conceded those pluses are offset by the concerns surrounding 
marijuana use, particularly that it may be a gateway drug for young 
people although he said studies from countries where marijuana has 
been legalized indicate that is not the case. Conversely, Rustad said 
there have been stories of illegally-produced marijuana being cut 
with harder drugs like crystal methamphetamine.

"There are lots of people in my riding that are very uncomfortable 
with the idea of legalization," Rustad said. "They're concerned that 
it would be for youth, that it would lead to heavier drug use and 
those are legitimate concerns.

"There needs to be studies, there needs to be work done, that 
information needs to come forward and if that proves that would be a 
detrimental problem then yeah, either you figure out how to deal with 
it or you don't go down that road."

Both Premier Christy Clark and Justice Minister Shirley Bond, the MLA 
for Prince George-Valemount, have limited their comments to saying 
legalization is a federal issue. Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Pat Bell 
had much the same response when reached for a comment.

"I try not to interfere in federal government decisions, I try not to 
interfere in municipal government decisions and I hope that they let 
us to do our work," Bell said.

"But the other thing is, I think we've got way bigger fish to fry 
right now and I am squarely focused on making sure British Columbia 
does as well as we possibly can in what is a very difficult economic 
time... I'm going to take all of my time and energy and keep it 
focused on what we can do to build the economy."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom