I agree completely with the letter from Dave Cursons of Cawston. A recent Western News editorial said it most clearly: “Crime stance brings benefits to criminals“. Previous to that, Gwynne Dyer called for a ceasefire. Even the smarmy Tom Elliot is no monger for the so-called “War on Drugs”. We should applaud the Western News for spreading this social enlightenment. Sad to think: Canada’s staunch leader repeats the same old American talking points. “Not on my watch,” says the warlike Harper, as if there’s nothing more to say.
People who are against decriminalization should not be trusted. They are ill-informed, or they are gaming the status quo. Eighty per cent of so-called “illegal drug use” is about cannabis. But with asset-forfeiture being so profitable, don’t expect fairness and reason to prevail soon.
People who don’t enjoy cannabis don’t question the legislation. Why would they? The people who do keep their heads down. History shows: the most beneficent plant in God’s-green creation is persecuted, again and again, for very suspicious reasons. Hemp would feed us, clothe us; it could fuel our homes and cars, heal countless ills, but nefarious government forces continue to lie about its useful goodness. Why?
Many upstanding and responsible citizens appreciate the salubrious effects of cannabis; they include doctors, lawyers, skateboard enthusiasts, mothers with PMS, politicians and all the best jazz bands. Do cops not know? Some say that after a long, hard day, it is a fine and harmless way to empty one’s inner recycle bin.
Others say: Yes, but grow-ops do terrible damage to property. OK, it’s property crime, under common-law, maybe. Why hurt families, neighbourhoods and communities so violently, if not for profit and plunder? Current legislation disturbs a lot more peace than it protects, and the money saved not chasing after innocents would pay everybody’s restitution, tenfold.
We should celebrate our B.C. bud. It is as famous as our VQA wine throughout the world. Who are these ogres who heckle the many glad tidings of marijuana?
Look at the gang violence in Mexico that’s headed this way. Then, look at Holland. The Dutch never kowtowed to the American model. Canada should stop doing so. In Portugal, they’ve decriminalized all their substance-abuse problems, thereby transforming them into medical problems. Now, drug use is not so romantic, not so cool: “Do you want to get stoned?” sounds like, “Do you want to get sick?” to the peace-loving Portuguese, who are very well-respected on the world stage, and/or the UN Security Council, where Canada is not so much.
Geoff Burton
Penticton