B.C. BUD CAN'T BOOST ECONOMY

Years ago, snickers were heard across the country as a report came out
stating that "B.C. bud" was one of the province's biggest exports due
to its high quality in comparison to its competitors.

Once again, the industry has made a name for itself as part of a
profile on B.C. crime in a national magazine.

The May 19 edition of Maclean's does the rounds in the lower mainland
where gangs and homicides are (apparently) rampant. Then it takes a
pastoral ramble into the "sleepy backwaters" of the interior where
(according to the article) the hills resemble those of Bolivia or
Columbia (sic) in their prolific output of illegal narcotics.

The piece even interviews a local businessman, Robert (Bob) Smith,
whose comments seem to echo one of the article's themes - that with
forestry facing a downturn, we'll take the jobs where we can get them.
According to the article, when authorities crack down on grow-ops in
small towns, some say the economy suffers.

Whether marijuana belongs on the list of banned narcotics or not is a
debate that is still raging in this country. The fact is that it's
still illegal and we can't find fault with the police for doing their
job. If the police turn a blind eye to grow-ops, they may also be
turning a blind eye to things that society may not feel as tolerant
about, such as bypassing hydro systems to steal electricity, flouting
building and fire codes to hide one's activities, dangerous smuggling
practices and the use of guns and violence to protect one's investment.

Many of these issues may disappear if marijuana is legalized. However,
there are better and more sustainable ways to invest in a town's
employment (boosting agriculture and tourism, investing in
post-secondary education, encouraging small business, creating options
for youth) than to turn a blind eye to its underground economy.