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Suetaz

Police chief says pot study 'unrealistic'

Angela MacKenzie - Staff Reporter - Coquitlam Now | June 14, 2004

A recommendation by a Fraser Institute study to legalize the marijuana industry is unrealistic, says Port Moody Police Chief Const. Paul Shrive.

"Marijuana in B.C. is like potatoes in P.E.I. - everybody can grow them," Shrive said.

"So what system could possibly come into place, when people could have their own marijuana patch? As they're harvesting, they're going to say, 'Oh yes, here's the portion that I owe the government.'"

The study, Marijuana Growth in British Columbia, released Wednesday by the Fraser Institute, was written by Stephen Easton, a Simon Fraser University economics professor.

Comparing it to the prohibition of alcohol, Easton argues that the prohibition of marijuana is unsustainable in the long term.

He points to the proliferation of grow operations, the availability of technology to produce marijuana and the level of enforcement.

The multi-billion dollar industry should be legalized and taxed, Easton says, something that could possibly generate more than $2 billion in revenue.

"Alcohol prohibition in the U.S. expanded organized crime in North America," Easton states in his conclusion.

"Removing alcohol prohibition generated many problems, but none like those afflicting society in the days of Al Capone and his ilk. Removing the prohibition on marijuana production would permit society to replace today's gift of revenue to organized crime with (at the very least) an additional source of revenue for government coffers."

But Shrive described the comparisons between prohibition of alcohol and marijuana as inconsistent.

"These people continue to compare prohibition on marijuana to the same as the prohibition days on alcohol, and it just makes me crazy, because alcohol was at the top of its game - that's as high as you went," Shrive said.

"You didn't go from alcohol to now the next worst thing, where with marijuana, we see traditional organized crime already shifting their emphasis from marijuana to methamphetamine labs."

Instead of legalization, Shrive called for tougher consequences for grow operators and improved proceeds of crime laws.

Legalizing marijuana, Shrive said, would also send the wrong message to youth.

"This whole approach that 'We've lost the battle, so let's get in on the good times and squeeze organized crime out, and we'll get the money instead of them,' - I just don't want to belly up to that bar," Shrive said.

"It has no appeal to me whatsoever."

[Suetaznote: Shrive just doesn't seem to get it. Someone needs to explain why we need drug laws reformed. The consequences of prohibition need to be explained to him. Stephen Easton seems to have a much better understanding. ]

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iGame3D

What bar does he belly up to?

I love the "send wrong message to youth" garbage these people always spit out. The message they have been sending to youth is "we will violate your privacy, confiscate your property and put you in jail for enjoying yourself, growing a plant or relieving the symptoms of some horrible illness, all while guaranteeing eight hundred billion dollars in annual profits to the illegal drug industry."

Yet they see nothing at all wrong with that message.

He's totaly wrong about alcohol being the 'top of the game' for the mob.
Weapons trafficking, money laundering, extortion, robbery, murder, corruption and a host of other crimes followed the power and money that came with prohibited alcohol wealth.

GrooveGuardian

This article was good until "Shrive" started talking about meth labs, lowering my IQ and any other person who read it.

Kannibal

"Marijuana in B.C. is like potatoes in P.E.I. - everybody can grow them," Shrive said.

"So what system could possibly come into place, when people could have their own marijuana patch? As they're harvesting, they're going to say, 'Oh yes, here's the portion that I owe the government.'"


He does not take into account that many people would still not grow their own herb.Just like many people still don't grow their own vegatables or fruits.
And why is it so important for goverment to tax it anyways?Wouldn't the money saved from all the cannabis persectution be enough?Wouldn't it be good nuff to direct all those funds into better serving the people?

I'm sure if it were made legal the government will indeed tax the hell out of it just like they tax grow equipment,bongs,pipes,rolling papers,etc.

Excuse me if one cannot tax the plant I grow in my own backyard but they can still tax my property and do too.

Legalizing cannabis ain't about taxing it.It is about what some would consider an 'unalienable right'

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AlucardOrange3

Excellently put Kannibal. I wrote an article a few months ago about the fact that direct taxation of the Cannabis plant was implausible and thus "Legalize it and tax it" wasn't a good angle of attack. You stated it best with your last sentence though, "Legalizing cannabis isn't about taxing it; it's about what some would consider an inalienable right."

If the government fights you, fight them back twice as hard and twice as dirty...

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CtBigPat

I think the comparison to alcohol is correct. The liquer industry does not fear compitition from homebrewers and moonshiners. I used to make some mighty good homebrew beer back before I had my son. Now like most people I don't have the time for it. I buy it at the store and avoid the hassle. The same would be true for pot if it were legal. While some would grow their own most folks woud be buying it over the counter, providing the government with millions in tax revenue.

Zilos

Exactly, they don't need to tax it! And I love how they say "Marijuana in B.C. is like potatoes in P.E.I. - everybody can grow them," GOOD! The damn government doens't need to control everything! It's like they think were a bunch of retarted little kids that needs a hands held so we can cross the road! HAHA, NO!

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Suetaz

He is trying to say that alcohol didn't lead to other drug use during the days of alcohol prohibition, but opiates have been around longer than alcohol, have they not? He obviously believes in the 'gateway' theory and thinks that marijuana use leads to harder drug use. It all depends on the personality type using drugs as to what they choose to use. For most marijuana users, no other drugs are necessary. People like Shrive make me crazy with the crap they spout. Alcohol was not at the top of it's game, it was the gameduring prohibition!

PotShot

Hmm, alcohol was at the top of its game..... prohibition days of alcohol....

Wasnt alcohol the only thing that was illegal at that time?

-Peace

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solutions

Interesting article. I noticed the study Marijuana Growth in British Columbia is available online.

It is pretty obvious Chief Shrive is biased and does not want to accept there are very good arguments for legalization. His fishing expedition to support his bias ranges from comparing cannabis to potatoes to the dangerous "sending the wrong message to youth" argument. When I hear the argument that values "The Message" more than the actual results of a drug policy I know sanctimoniousness is more important than the well-being of youth. It is well known that Dutch kids use way less pot than American or Canadian kids, showing that regulating does not lead to increased cannabis (or other drug) use, and may in fact offer the best opportunity to influence drug consumption. But apparently for people like Shrive lowering drug consumption or reducing the risks for those who use drugs is less important than The Message.

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