Pubdate: Fri, 23 Nov 2012
Source: Estevan Mercury (CN SN)
Copyright: 2012 Estevan Mercury
Contact:  http://cap.estevan.sk.ca/mercury/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2542
Author: Jordan Baker

TIME FOR CANADA TO JOIN AMERICA'S HIGH

I've always considered Canadians to be more progressive than our
southerly neighbours, known for their united states. With marijuana, a
couple of the states have jumped ahead of Canada in terms of common
sense.

That doesn't mean they are advocating citizens consume the drug and
neither am I, but it does mean that it may be time for Canada to jump
on the decriminalization bandwagon.

When looking at it realistically, the "damage" the green stuff may
inflict doesn't really outweigh the cost to police, prosecute and
generally crack down on the use of marijuana.

This stance may seem strange from someone as anti-smoking as I am.
While a cost to police the substance isn't itself a reason to reform,
in the matter of marijuana it certainly is. The cost to combat heroin
and ecstasy is something I am willing to have my tax dollars go
toward, but I've grown increasingly tired of seeing people in the
Estevan courthouse answering to a charge of possessing marijuana.

I don't blame Estevan's police for charging people because right now
that's their job. It just shouldn't be part of their job anymore.

Legalization won't create a culture of potheads. The drug won't become
more prevalent in our society. I figure that everyone who wants to
consume marijuana is already a regular user. We will simply stop
asking them to appear in court and pay a fine every time the local
constabulary sees them lighting up.

The voters went to the polls in some states on Nov. 6, and while they
were deciding Obama-Romney, a few of them also got to say how little
they cared about people walking around with a joint in their pocket.

I saw an Ipsos Reid poll found that about 66 per cent of Canadians
favour decriminalizing marijuana. It's unclear how many Canadians are
single-issue voters when it comes to reforming the war on drugs. It
seems not many, considering we just elected the Conservatives to a
federal majority in the hope they would get tough on crime and drugs.
Sure, nobody likes crime and drugs, but we were probably tough enough
already.

The government won't be swimming in revenue from taxing the green bud.
It will still have to be regulated similarly to alcohol or cigarettes.
While that will probably balance out, we will save money, and more
importantly time, in costs to cops and the courts.

It isn't really financially worth it to continue prosecuting these
minor crimes where the only victim is the accused.

Marijuana has no impact on my life. It's not my thing. I've hung out
with people in a coffee shop in Amsterdam and still not bothered with
the grass.

But it's safer than alcohol. The problems that arise with people
abusing alcohol are incredible and everywhere in our society. I am
against prohibition but alcohol certainly causes more problems that
lead to violence than marijuana ever has or will.

Again, it's something I see in court on a regular basis. Alcohol is
probably the No. 1 reason anybody ends up answering to a criminal
charge. People are regularly arrested for being drunk and fighting or
driving or any number of other issues. Nobody who is accused of
possessing marijuana is also accused of assaulting someone.

There are some drugs that shouldn't be legal. I'm not a libertarian
who says just end prohibition on everything, but something as mild as
weed is just something we shouldn't be worrying about anymore. It may
be time for Canadians to get the marijuana question on the ballot.
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MAP posted-by: Matt