Subj: CN AB: PUB LTE: Cannabis Ought to be Legalized

Pubdate: Sat, 14 Dec 2002

Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)

Copyright: 2002 The Calgary Sun

Contact: callet@sunpub.com

Author: Alun Buffry

Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor, headline by newshawk

CANNABIS OUGHT TO BE LEGALIZED

Just an observation relevant to the government's plans to ease up on cannabis smokers in Canada. I visited Haarlem, a city in Holland, a couple of weeks ago, calling in at several of their cannabis cafes and a hemp museum. After that, I have no doubt whatsoever that cannabis ought to be legalized. Obviously people have and will continue to smoke cannabis whatever the law says.

The difference in Holland is that they are given some measure of protection by being allowed to buy from a source where hard drugs are not avail-able, and smoke it in safety. I also glanced at Dutch figures for hard drug addiction and death.

They are remarkably low compared with the rest of Europe and the U.S. Holland is also able to tax the profits the dealers make and use the money for purposes far better than catching pot-smokers.