Former MPP Protests Marijuana's Decriminalization

[boulder]

Drug dealers across Canada are cheering quietly and preparing to expand their operations.

Incredibly, a parliamentary committee in Ottawa, chaired by Burlington MP Paddy Torsney, has recommended that possession of 30-50 joints of marijuana become a ticketing offence, like speeding. Paddy, who admits she has smoked marijuana in the past, joked with the media saying it depends how thick you roll the joints.

 

This foolish idea would undoubtedly widely expand use of this narcotic, putting more drugs into the hands of children and teens.

 

Having represented a considerable part of Burlington and Oakville for four years at Queen's Park, I can say I never once heard anyone suggest that marijuana be decriminalized. What I heard was that decent people are fed up with crime, especially drug dealers, those who don't pay their fair share of taxes, and are concerned with threats to our health-care system.

 

Since there was never any mention of liberalizing narcotics laws in any of Torsney's or Bonnie Brown's election literature from 1993 on, one has to wonder how far out of touch with their ridings and reality they can get.

 

Here are three key myths regarding marijuana which the government members apparently believe:

 

* Marijuana use doesn't lead to other drugs. False. It very often does. Ask any drug user if they have smoked marijuana. The vast majority will say yes.

 

* Marijuana is not addictive. False. There are untold thousands of people who are highly dependent on marijuana. It depletes initiative, dulls the thinking and impairs the user's judgment -- a tragic lifestyle very difficult to escape.

 

* Marijuana is harmless. False. Marijuana use is involved in many property crimes, assaults and many vehicle accidents causing injuries and death. Marijuana sales finance other kinds of crime which cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Marijuana dealers don't pay tax. Marijuana growers are stealing millions of dollars in hydro from the rest of us.

 

Marijuana-related social problems in families and schools cause untold misery and overload our social service agencies. Marijuana-induced impairment reduces productivity in our workplaces, causes accidents and prevents children and teens from learning in school. Marijuana smoke itself contains hundreds of chemicals, from which users will suffer ill health as they get older -- putting an even greater burden on our health-care system.

 

Decriminalizing pot will attract the most resourceful and wealthy dealers from around the world to Canada and put millions in their pockets to finance other crime. Our young people will have pot shoved in their faces everywhere they go.

 

Police will spend more time trying to keep up with the misbehaviour of impaired marijuana users and their wealthy dealers, like in Amsterdam where shops have been forced to install pull-down aluminum shutters at night. Imagine downtown Oakville and Burlington stores with aluminum shutters covering all the windows after 6 p.m.

 

If only for the young people, please take a minute and call the offices of Torsney (905-639-5757) and Brown (905-827-2077) to tell them you don't want more drugs on our streets.

 

Source: Burlington Post (CN ON)

Author: Terence H. Young, Oakville

[pipeman]

* Marijuana use doesn't lead to other drugs. False. It very often does. Ask any drug user if they have smoked marijuana. The vast majority will say yes.

 

Ask those same users if they've ever taken a drink,  smoked a cigarette, or drunk a cup of coffee.

 

* Marijuana is not addictive. False. There are untold thousands of people who are highly dependent on marijuana. It depletes initiative, dulls the thinking and impairs the user's judgment -- a tragic lifestyle very difficult to escape.

 

People are also addicted to alcohol, tobacco & fatty foods, yet strangely there is no problem for these more damaging addictions being legal.

 

 

* Marijuana is harmless. False. Marijuana use is involved in many property crimes, assaults and many vehicle accidents causing injuries and death. Marijuana sales finance other kinds of crime which cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Marijuana dealers don't pay tax. Marijuana growers are stealing millions of dollars in hydro from the rest of us.

 

Problems easily solved by legalisation.

heh, this propaganda borders on the bizarre.

[Guest Babybear]

NO matter what will happen the war on drugs is a no win sitiation. The effect of a few cones/joins or what ever a day can effect a person complety diff, MOst ppl get addicted to the high of mj like many drugs, Most are addicted in there forms, but then most i have found in 15-20something get all addicted to the fantisy life of been in another world,

But then when you think about it Anti depresents Are addictive an long term use is bad as you DEpend on them , So what so diff from a pack of Zorlof an oz of buds?

I still think that anti depresents an anti psychotic are bad, You nero septers rely on them to keep you calm so when the poor ppl happen to go off them for a day or so , the brain has been overa loaded an they have an casue they are to used to there head been numbed

 

Sowwie for bad spellin dude, I try