Dopey Laws for Dope Growers

Given that drug use has not been reduced, it seems that the well-intentioned laws haven't produced any substantial benefits. The public health risks have been exacerbated, however, by eliminating all regulations on drug potency, purity and toxicity. Moreover, just as gangs fought over the alcohol market in Al Capone's time, much of the gang violence is currently related to the drug business. If drug laws are not discouraging people from using dope, we should probably look at what these laws are doing. They are enabling a small group of criminally minded individuals to have an extremely lucrative monopoly in the dope industry. The laws are enabling dope growers to sell their crops tax free at hyper-inflated prices. The laws are also motivating growers to heavily arm themselves against both the police and rival drug dealers. It is probably much less expensive for dope growers to deal with the police than with the taxman. There isn't anything inherently criminal in smoking marijuana. It isn't worse than sniffing glue, diesel or paint thinner. Moderate drug use probably isn't even worse for your health than being 50 pounds overweight. Heart disease -- not drug use -- all is by far the biggest killer in this country. Many people worry that by legalizing marijuana, Canadians would be giving their children the message that smoking dope is a worthwhile, socially acceptable thing to do. It doesn't have to be like that. Legalized drugs could be treated just like tobacco products. Even though tobacco is legal in Canada, Health Canada has been very successful at reducing smoking by its packaging laws and education campaigns. Canadians are giving the message that using tobacco is a very unhealthy, socially unacceptable thing to do. Similar packaging laws and education campaigns could be directed at reducing drug use. If people are still foolish enough to abuse drugs, heavy taxes would at least partially offset the costs of treating lung cancer and other drug related diseases. I heard that Health Canada was even thinking of suing the tobacco companies for all the suffering they cause. We could also sue the dope companies if they weren't underground and too hard to find. Think about it.

Graham Gerry, Quesnel

bibliography - mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n953/a03.html
Source: Quesnel Cariboo Observer (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004 Quesnel Cariboo Observer

Dopey Pot Laws For Dope Growers