Pubdate: Wed, 21 Nov 2012 Source: Alberni Valley Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2012 Alberni Valley Times Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouverisland/albernivalleytimes/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4043Author: Matt Gregory STILL TO BE DETERMINED IF POT PLAN WILL WORK Legalization of marijuana-will it work? Much has been said about the benefits of legalizing marijuana. It will be controlled, taxable, no harm to the economy or personal health, and fewer deaths due to gang violence. All looks rosy. The media seem to have been caught up in the hype without looking at this topic with a more critical eye. From a drug dealer's perspective, legalization is a good thing. We are told that the marijuana trade in B.C. brings in roughly $6 billion per year. Marijuana cultivation, transport, and marketing is big business, right up there with mining, forestry, fishing, and tourism. There are a lot of spin off benefits to other legitimate businesses - hydroponics, truck dealerships, light fixtures. However, there is a lot of competition in this business - rival gang violence, lawyer costs, transportation costs, the cost of weapons, to name a few. Marijuana is a bulky crop, difficult to transport and difficult to hide. From an economic point of view, the downside of the "trade" trumps the upside of the trade. The profit margins are pretty slim, considering the risks and expenses. My gut sense tells me that the dealer can make a living with lower risk and fewer expenses by getting out of the marijuana business. If marijuana is legalized, growers, dealers and gangs are not going to go away; they will diversify into other less conspicuous and more addictive drugs. No matter what the product, they will continue to promise us the best time of our lives with no harm done. Perhaps society will, in the long run, do them a favour by helping them get out of the marijuana business. But, in the long run, will society as a whole benefit? Yours truly, Matt Gregory Port Alberni - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom