Pubdate: Wed, 02 Jan 2013
Source: Terrace Standard (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Terrace Standard
Contact:  http://www.terracestandard.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1329
Author: Bob Erb

THE CASE TO LEGALIZE POT

Dear Sir:

I read the brief comments from Rudi Peters in the Dec. 19 issue of 
The Terrace Standard and realized there's still pockets of ignorance 
within the community.

An Angus Reid poll published Nov. 2, 2012 in the Vancouver Province 
shows 75 per cent of British Columbians and 66 per cent of Canadians 
support legalization, taxation and regulation of marijuana.

To support prohibition is to support crime in our neighbourhoods and 
terrorism abroad.

The huge benefits of legalization are mind-boggling. Industrial fibre 
for pulp mills and strand board mills. An annual renewable resource; 
not every 60-plus years as is the case with wood fibre.

Clothing, food, cosmetics are just a few of the multitude of other uses.

Not to mention the many medical uses approved by Health Canada. Also, 
many find marijuana is a safer way to relax with rather than using 
alcohol or tobacco.

Check on the computer as to leading causes of death. Tobacco and 
alcohol are by far the leading causes followed by prescription drugs. 
Zero for marijuana.

After 14 years of Prohibition in the United States, millions of jobs 
were created. Trucking, warehousing, distilleries, bars, liquor 
stores and so on.

Marijuana legalization would result in income taxes collected, 
increased spending on home mortgages and municipal infrastructure upgrades.

More money for health care, Pharmacare, education, pensions, fixed 
incomes, etc. are just a few of the benefits - all without raising taxes.

New revenue would come from a huge new source - B.C.'s marijuana 
industry. It's now estimated at $12 billion annually, making it our 
largest industry.

Other benefits would be a big drop in many types of crime. Not good 
news for the police. Pot crime is their bread and butter.

This would translate into lower policing, court and prison costs.

Freeing up these resources would help provide institutions for the 
real criminals.

Guns, gangs and drug houses would disappear from our neigbourhoods.

Think about it. Al Capone would have been only a petty neighbourhood 
crook if not for Prohibition.

To the Rudi Peters of this world, I would say educate yourselves on 
facts, not myths.

There's no excuse for ignorance in this age of technology and information.

One interesting fact as reported in several reputable medical 
journals show findings that people who use pot regularly are usually 
of a higher education and IQ. So pot users may be dopeheads but are 
not dopey people.

Bob Erb,

Thornhill, BC
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom