Pubdate: Thu, 07 Jan 2016 Source: Guelph Mercury (CN ON) Copyright: 2016 Metroland Media Group Ltd. Contact: http://www.guelphmercury.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1418 Author: Vince Fiorito Note: The author is a Burlington resident. Page: A7 MONOPOLIES SHOULD NOT CONTROL LEGAL MARIJUANA Respectfully, I must disagree with Premier Kathleen Wynne that the LCBO should control marijuana sales in Ontario. If the only issue associated with selling recreational drugs like tobacco, alcohol and marijuana was just keeping them out of reach of our youth during their formative years then I would agree. I would also add that the LCBO and Brewers Retail are models of environmentally-friendly packaging and recycling. Bravo. My problem with the LCBO and Brewers Retail is their size, their undue control of the alcohol industry as a regulated monopoly and their limited liability. They have a profit motive to promote and encourage increased alcohol consumption. They don't fund drug rehabilitation and counselling programs to reduce the harm to the individual and society from recreational alcohol consumption. A large powerful corporation like the LCBO would influence and eventually dictate government policy and control production, like they do now with alcohol. Not every bottle of wine or beer gets on an LCBO shelf, to the detriment of small wineries and microbreweries. Recreation drug policy goals should include educating the public on the risks associated with recreational drug use, with a long term objective to decrease demand. I believe in a "least harm" approach to guide marijuana decriminalization. I believe that current marijuana laws are more harmful to society and the individual than marijuana use itself. I support marijuana legalization, provided marijuana consumption is regulated to reduce harm to the individual and society. We should not allow large powerful corporations in this business as they become too powerful and difficult to control. For example, because the LCBO is so powerful, we are currently stuck with a system that promotes and encourages alcohol consumption to the benefit of other large corporations and small producers cannot compete fairly with large corporations. We should not make the same mistakes with the emerging recreational marijuana industry as we did with the alcohol industry, that are now difficult to change. The marijuana industry should be deliberately regulated as sole proprietorships and partnerships to maintain control and create the maximum number of small businesses and jobs. Corporations with limited liability and profit sharing should be kept out of the recreational marijuana industry. Only those directly involved should share the risk and reward of marijuana production, distribution and sales. No profit-sharing with limited liability. Overt public advertising should be prohibited, respecting the rights of parents to control what their children know and people who don't want to see, hear or know about it. A simple standardized symbol over the door of a discreet marijuana cafe is enough. People entering a marijuana establishment give implied consent to see legal advertising and promotions inside. Locations of marijuana shops should be strictly controlled by municipal zoning and bylaws, and they may levy extra taxes. Marijuana production, distribution and sales should be monitored closely for abuses and if the owner/operator breaks the law, they lose their marijuana licenses and face punitive sanctions. Fines for smoking marijuana in public places, should be similar to tobacco. People may grow a few plants for personal use, similar to vegetables. But they would need a licence to sell. Corporate control of the marijuana industry, which promotes consumption, could lead to marijuana becoming as big of a problem for the individual and society as alcohol is now. If we can't implement this change in a way that reduces harm to the individual and society, then I would rather marijuana remained illegal with a punitive fine for possession. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom