Pubdate: Thu, 11 Aug 2016
Source: Langley Advance (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.langleyadvance.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1248
Author: John Aldag

REASONS FOR CAUTION ON POT

Dear Editor,

Mr. Claxton recently raised some arguments surrounding our country's 
current drug enforcement laws. As he mentioned, it is indeed this 
government's intention to legalize the recreational usage and 
regulated production of marijuana. With legislation to be tabled in 
the spring of next year, the question of why the Liberal government 
has not immediately decriminalized possession and small-scale 
production is fair. I would like however, to address reasons that 
make such an action undesirable before government and law enforcement 
have had time to adjust to a new regime of drug enforcement.

One of the primary reasons the Liberal government will legalize 
recreational marijuana use is to remove billions of dollars from 
organized crime, who currently dominate the illegal trafficking of 
marijuana and its profits. Without a federal framework to regulate 
and monitor the production and supply of cannabis, organized crime 
would only benefit from such a decision and fuel a continuation of 
the violence we have seen as a result of organized trafficking.

Another concern I have regarding the immediate decriminalization of 
cannabis is whose hands the drug eventually ends up in. As Mr. 
Claxton wrote, it is the government's vision to heavily monitor, 
regulate and tax the production and supply of marijuana. Much like 
alcohol, this would create a system where it would be much easier to 
limit the illicit supply of marijuana to minors and children. As we 
judge it inappropriate for children to access marijuana just as we do 
with alcohol and cigarettes, it is currently nearly impossible to 
ensure that even small-scale growing operations don't end up being 
consumed by minors. Without a framework to regulate the sale of 
cannabis, immediate decriminalization would fail to address this problem.

Lastly, issues of contamination within the product itself will not be 
addressed. Without regulating how cannabis is being produced, 
unmonitored production poses a significant risk to the public.

For these reasons, our government maintains that the sale of cannabis 
must remain illegal until a new framework to guide its safe and 
effective distribution is in place.

John Aldag, MP

Cloverdale-Langley City
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom