Pubdate: Wed, 16 Apr 2014
Source: Oliver Chronicle (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Oliver Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.oliverchronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/875

CHAMBER WANTS TO END PROHIBITION OF MARIJUANA

Want better roads in Oliver? South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce
president Myers Bennett says legalizing marijuana is the way to make
it happen.

At the business showcase/networking event in Oliver last Wednesday,
chamber director Petra Veintimilla announced that the organization has
drafted a "business case" calling for the federal government to end
the prohibition of cannabis in British Columbia, and ultimately Canada.

Bennett and chamber vice-president Brian Highley will present the
proposed policy at the BC Chamber of Commerce's annual general meeting
and conference in Richmond on May 22-24. If the proposal gets passed
in May, Bennett will be tasked with presenting it at the Canadian
Chamber of Commerce AGM in the fall.

Bennett said he expects the proposal will raise a few eyebrows at next
month's meeting, but stressed the importance of this debate on the
effect that marijuana prohibition can have on government budgets.

According to a report conducted by the Fraser Institute, an estimated
$2.5 trillion has been spent annually on the "war on drugs" in North
America over the last 40 years.

The report further concludes that by continuing the prohibition of
marijuana, the province is foregoing $2 billion in tax revenue every
year and $5 billion in additional legal market activity.

Bennett points to the state of Colorado, an "excellent example" of a
successful fiscal case for legalization.

"The state brought in millions of dollars in tax revenue from the
regulated sales of marijuana in the first few months of this year,"
Bennett explained.

"For us, it's not about getting it legalized for medical purposes or
so people can use it socially without consequence-it's purely about
taxation."

In the era of economic crunch, noted Veintimilla, legalizing marijuana
for taxation purposes would help puff up local economic growth figures
nationwide. "In cash strapped times the revenue could put a pretty
penny toward things like education and infrastructure," she added.

In their proposal the chamber suggests there three major costs that
businesses incur as a result of prohibition; the cost of property
crime, enforcement/healthcare (corporate taxes) and a reduction in
market demand.

According to the SOCC's research, roughly 70 per cent of all property
crime is estimated to be a result of drug users stealing in order to
"finance their addictions." It is not the drug itself that causes the
thefts, the proposal states, "It is the enormously inflated price of
the drug."

If the drugs were supplied at fair market prices in a regulated
market, it continues, or (as done in Switzerland, at no cost under
medical supervision, the users would be able to pay for their drugs by
working, not by stealing.

Further, the report states, the public sector costs of prohibition,
which include enforcement and health care costs, which are obtained by
the government are ultimately recovered through taxation.

But Veintimilla said there are several other negative impacts of
prohibition, many of which cannot be measured easily in numbers.

"Money laundering, for example," she said.

"Prohibition gives criminals a monopoly of a very high-profit illegal
business. In order to use the money they run these front businesses
that compete against real businesses. As a chamber, business owners,
particularly small business owners are who we look out for. Why should
criminals have unfair advantages over legitimate business owners?"

Veintimilla feels the SOCC's proposal answers that
question.

Bennett said the proposal was well-received by other Okanagan Valley
chambers when he introduced it at a meeting earlier this month.

Veintimilla said a warm reception from the other chambers is typically
a good indicator of how the proposal will be received on the
provincial level and will be curious to gain feedback. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D